Hot electron interactions at the passivated gold-silicon interface

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Abstract
A few eV hot electron is found to stimulate the motion of a gold atom, leading to adatom generation at the surfaces of a Au film. This is detected through ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM) observations of the resulting growth of an atomic layer terrace on the interfacial Au surface of AU passivation-layer Si samples. We deduce the presence of concurrently produced vacancies in the film from their (time-dependent) effect on the BEEM current. The phenomenon has similarities to electron stimulated desorption.