Unveiling new systematics in the self-assembly of atomic chains on Si(111)
Abstract
Self-assembled arrays of atomic chains on Si(111) represent a fascinating family of nanostructures with quasi-one-dimensional electronic properties. These surface reconstructions are stabilized by a variety of adsorbates ranging from alkali and alkaline earth metals to noble and rare earth metals. Combining the complementary strength of dynamical low-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we recently showed that besides monovalent and divalent adsorbates, trivalent adsorbates are also able to stabilize silicon honeycomb chains. Consequently silicon honeycomb chains emerge as a most stable, universal building block shared by many atomic chain structures. We here present the systematics behind the self-assembly mechanism of these chain systems and relate the valence state of the adsorbate to the accessible symmetries of the chains.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.0706.3175,
title = {Unveiling new systematics in the self-assembly of atomic chains on Si(111)},
author = {C. Battaglia and H. Cercellier and C. Monney and L. Despont and M. G. Garnier and P. Aebi},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0706.3175},
year = {2008}
}
Comments
Proceedings of the International Conference on Nano Science and Technology ICN+T 2007, to be published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series