Surface reconstruction ofErSi1.7(0001) investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy

Abstract
Epitaxial (√3 × √3 )R30° ErSi1.7 films were grown on Si(111) by solid-phase epitaxy and examined in situ by ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Atomic resolution was achieved and the ErSi1.7(0001) surfaces were found to exhibit a high degree of structural order. Along with recent photoemission work, the analysis of high-resolution STM images shows that the surface atomic arrangement consists basically of a buckled Si layer without vacancies. An additional corrugation reflecting the √3 superstructure in bulk is superimposed on the p(1×1) structure.