REM studies of step creation energies and step-step interactions on Si(111) and (110) vicinal surfaces

We carried out reflection electron microscope (REM) observations of equilib rium shapes of Si(111) and (110) vicinal surfaces to estimate step creation energies and step interaction coefficients. A sample with a cylindrical ho le was annealed at 1050 degrees C under AC or DC heating. We measured width s of the facet surfaces and step positions on the vicinal surfaces and esti mated the ratios of the step creation energies (B) and the step interaction coefficients (g) of these surfaces. We found that repulsive step-step inte raction was stronger on the (110) surfaces than on the (111) surfaces, effe ctive repulsive step-step interactions on both surfaces annealed by DC heat ing were stronger than those on surfaces annealed by AC heating, and the DC heating effect appeared more strongly on the (111) surfaces than on the (1 10) surfaces.