High resolution photoemission study of C-60 on Si(111) as a precursor of SiC growth

We characterized the room temperature (RT) growth of C-60 on the Si(111) (7 x 7) surface and the SiC formation upon annealing using high resolution ph otoelectron spectroscopy techniques. Si 2p core level spectra for RT C-60 d eposition unambiguously show the strong attenuation of the rest-atoms compo nents and the growth of at least one new component at 1 ML coverage. This n ew component grows with annealing temperature and at T>1020 K an abrupt cha nge occurs, corresponding to the formation of SiC, as confirmed by the C 1s core level emission. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.