Commensurate and incommensurate striped structure of Ag film growth on Si(1 1 1)3×3 surface at room temperature

Interface structure of silver (Ag) island grown on Si(1 1 1)3×3–Ag surface is analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and diffraction. Ag islands grow on the surface with several epitaxial orientations. Among Ag as-grown islands at room temperature, one with striped image contrast gives an interesting transmission electron diffraction (TED) spots which are commensurate and incommensurate with the 3×3 spots of the substrate surface. The interface structure analyzed by TED and electron microscope images is an Ag hexagonal lattice with Ag(0 1 2)hex plane parallel to the 3×3 surface. Structure of 3×3 periodicity remaining at the interface is discussed.