Scanning-tunneling-microscopy studies of disilane adsorption and pyrolytic growth on Si(100)-(2x1)

Scanning tunneling microscopy has been employed to study the adsorption of disilane (${\mathrm{Si}}_2$ ${\mathrm{H}}_6$) and pyrolytic growth on Si(100)-(2×1) at various temperatures. Room-temperature exposures result in a random distribution of dissociation fragments on the surface. Formation of anisotropic monohydride islands and denuded zones as well as island coarsening is observed at higher temperatures. The results are strikingly similar to those reported for growth by molecular-beam epitaxy using pure Si, even though different surface reactions are involved in these two growth processes.