Epitaxial growth of manganese on silicon: Volmer-Weber growth on the Si(111) surface

Mn forms islands with a $\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}$ reconstruction and a minimum thickness of 4 Å on Si(111). When up to 4 ML Mn is deposited at room temperature and annealed, Mn displays a modified Volmer-Weber growth mode with $\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}$ islands surrounded by partially ordered silicon adatom arrangements similar to those of quenched Si(111). Mn deposited at an elevated temperature also forms $\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}$ islands, but the surrounding clean Si preserves the 7×7 arrangement. At coverages of Mn above 4 ML, the surface is almost completely covered with a $\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}$ overlayer.