Structure and Nucleation Mechanism of Nickel Silicide on Si(111) Derived from Surface Extended-X-Ray-Absorption Fine Structure

Abstract
Based on the direct structure determination of the silicide formed at room temperature from <1 monolayer of Ni deposited on Si(111) and from Ni coverages up to 5 monolayers, a model for silicide growth and interface formation is presented. The model forms a basis for understanding many of the photoemission, ion scattering, and microscopy results from this system.