The application of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) to semiconduct
or surfaces is reviewed. After a brief description of theoretical mode
ls for STM the experimental requirements are summarized. STM results w
ill be shown and discussed for clean semiconductor surfaces (Si(111),
Si(100), Si(110), high-index faces of Si, Ge and GaAs). Examples will
be given for the more important reconstructions of these surfaces and
for temperature dependent phase transitions, e.g., for the high-temper
ature (7 x 7)/(1 x 1) transition of Si(111) and for the low-temperatur
e c(4 x 2)/(2 x 1) transition of Si(100). The properties of steps will
be described for Si(111) and Si(100). The study of adsorption and gro
wth processes is one of the main fields in current STM work on semicon
ductors and representative examples will be given for homoepitaxy, het
eroepitaxy, cross-sectional studies, metal adsorption and adsorption o
f small molecules which give rise to surface reactions. Finally, more
recent applications such as manipulation of semiconductor surfaces, ba
llistic-electron emission, potentiometry and electrochemistry will bri
efly be reviewed.