The effect of Ni and Co adsorption on Si surfaces with different orien
tations has been studied by LEED and AES. It has been established that
the transport of Ni and Co atoms at Si surfaces is actually by their
diffusion in the bulk of Si. There are two states of adsorbed Ni and C
o atoms on Si surfaces. Nickel and cobalt adsorption may cause the rev
ersible phase transitions on silicon surfaces at varying temperatures
due to the change of their solubility in silicon and the redistributio
n of adsorbed atoms between the two possible states. The conditions fo
r the existence of each of these states are different for Ni and Co at
oms.