Stable structures of a Si(0 0 1) vicinal surface after alternating current heating up to about 1140 °C

Abstract The topography of a Si(0 0 1) vicinal surface is investigated by using reflection electron microscopy after alternating current (AC) heating at temperatures up to about 1140 °C. At temperatures below 850 °C, AC heating produces 1×2 surfaces that consist of wide 1×2 and narrow 2×1 terraces. The 1×2 terraces grow with a 1/2 power-law of time dependence, and the activation energy of the growth is about 1.1 eV. At temperatures between 850 and 1100 °C, AC heating produces double-domain surfaces, where 2×1 and 1×2 terraces are arranged regularly with approximately equal widths. During AC heating, the driving force for growth changes from thermal effect to evaporation effect at about 850 °C.