INITIAL-STAGES IN THE SM-SI(111) INTERFACE FORMATION

The initial stages in the formation of the Sm-Si(111) interface have b een studied by thermal desorption, atomic beam modulation, and low-ene rgy-electron-diffraction spectroscopy. The structure of adsorbed films and samarium silicide films, as well as the Sm atom desorption kineti cs have been investigated within a broad range of surface coverages an d temperatures. The activation energy of desorption from the thermally most stable 3 x 2 submonolayer structure, as well as the binding ener gy of a single samarium atom with the substrate, have been measured. T he temperature of the onset of silicide decomposition and the activati on energy of this process have been determined. It is shown that the S m-Si(111) interface forms by a mechanism close to that of Stransky-Kra stanov. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.