Investigation of metal/SiC interface using electron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy

Initial process of Co6HSiC(0001) contact has been intended to study using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Considering that 6HSiC(0001) has a polar surface i.e. Si or C terminated face, we first tried to study Co deposition on either Si(111)7 × 7 or a carbon film. Co silicide like CoSi2 starts to be formed when Co is deposited on a clean Si surface. AES and extended electron energy loss fine structure (EELFS) studies have clarified the fact that Co atoms form clusters when they are deposited on carbon films prepared on Si substrates, where Co clusters are found to be unreactive with a carbon film. Further it is suggested that the bond length between CoCo nearest neighbors shrinks for small cluster i.e. at the initial stage of the Co adsorption. Co atoms adsorbed on 6HSiC(001)6 × 6 reconstructed surface are likely to form clusters, which is the case for other reconstructed surfaces.