Growth and modification of Ag islands on hydrogen terminated Si(100) surfaces

The interaction of Ag with the Si(100)-2X1:H surface has been studied using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). By comparing surfaces with various dangling bond defect densities, it is shown that such sites nucleate the gr owth of Ag islands. The critical Ag coverage above which coalescence of isl ands occurs, together with the mean height and width of islands are all det ermined by the initial dangling bond density on the Si(100)-2X1:H surface. We have also observed that the surface may be modified by scanning with a S TM resulting in the transfer of Ag from the sample to the tip. (C) 2000 Ame rican Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(00)09501-9].