An influence of Mg adsorption on the Si(5 5 12) substrate conductivity and surface morphology

Influence of thickness of magnesium coverage deposited at room temperature and 100 OC on the atomically-clean surface Si(5 5 12)-2x1 on the electrical properties and morphology of the sample was investigated. It was established that deposition of Mg at room temperature results in formation of nanowires in the direction [–110] on silicon along narrow terraces formed after the high temperature cleaning of the substrate. The nanowires have high conductance leading to increasing of overall conductance on 13-15% at Mg thickness of 4 monolayers (0.8 nm). Growth of Mg at 100 OC results in the formation of disordered islands of magnesium silicide. In this case changing of conductance does not occur because of low conductivity of the silicide.