Study of Epitaxy by RHEED (Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction)-TRAXS (Total Reflection Angle X-Ray Spectroscopy)

Abstract

By detecting characteristic X-rays excited during a RHEED (reflection high energy electron diffraction) experiment, a highly sensitive measurement of the adsorbate is possible if the X-ray detector is placed at the critical angle (θ_c) corresponding to the total reflection of the X-rays. Furthermore, by measuring the glancing angle (θ_g) dependence, it is possible to analyze the depth distribution of the composition at the surface. The resolution in the depth direction is about 1ML. By applying these methods to studying the epitaxy of metals (Ag, Au, Sn, Ga and In) on Si(111)-n×m-M surface structures (metal-induced Si(111) reconstructed surface structures), new growth modes were observed, such as the substitution-atom growth mode, the floating-atom growth mode and some complex growth modes.