Observation of Si(110) surfaces by high-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy

The dynamic behavior of Si(110) surface structures at the phase transition temperature has been invesitgated by high-temperature scanning tunneling mi croscopy (STM). The faceted structures with a(17,15,1) vicinal plane are ob served to remain above the phase transition temperature. The STM images rev eal that the transition proceeds in units of a pair of up and down terraces at the domain boundary between the "16 x 2" and 1 x 1 phases, and that the up-and-down arrangement is found to be an energetically favorable configur ation. In addition, rotated double pentagon pairs are observed to hop betwe en the adjacent upper terraces, presumably related to the mass transport of Si across the terraces.