Photoemission and low energy electron microscopy study on the formation and nitridation of indium droplets on Si (111)7 × 7 surfaces

► Formation & nitridation of indium (In) droplets on Si (111) were studied. ► In droplets evolved with the 4 × 1-In cluster chains at 0.82 monolayer (ML). ► In droplets grow in density and lateral size with In coverage increased to 2.3 ML. ► The multi-domain In phases were formed at 2.3 ML. ► Nitridation of In droplets is accompanied by a disintegration of layering In phase.