Surface polymerization of epitaxial Sb wires on Si(001)

Measurements of the local density of states of epitaxial antimony structure s on Si(001) are reported and related to surface polymerization. Scanning t unneling spectroscopy was used to investigate the electronic structure of S b-4 clusters, Sb-2 dimers, and short epitaxial Sb lines. We find these nano structures of the semimetal Sb on Si to be nonmetallic. The electronic stru cture in the center of the Sb line is similar to that of the Si surface. In contrast, the ends of the Sb lines show a finite density of stares at the Fermi level. These observations are consistent with theoretical predictions for surface polymerization in similar systems.