Current-induced step bunching on vicinal Si(111) studied by light scattering

Step bunching on vicinal Si(lll) surfaces induced by direct current heating has been studied using an in situ light scattering measurement system. For annealing at 1240 degrees C, the average terrace width increased as a powe r of the annealing time with an exponent of 0.50 +/- 0.03 in the range of 3 -14 mu m. During the step bunching process, the ratio of the standard devia tion of the terrace width to the average terrace width remained constant at 0.24. Light scattering in the course of debunching was also observed.