Ag Multilayer island growth on Br-Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 1) and Ag-induced nano-pitting

Low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy was used to study the formation of single crystal nanostructures of Ag on Br-terminated Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 1) and their interactions with the surface at elevated temperature. Multilayer nanostructures were formed at 640 K. They were facetted, and they exhibited highly-ordered surfaces that were imaged with atomic resolution to identify the 〈0 1 1〉 and 〈1 1 2〉 directions on Ag(1 1 1)-(1 × 1). Heating above 700 K induced reactions involving Ag and Br and the desorption of AgBr. At these temperatures, contact between the Ag islands and Si(0 0 1) also led to Si dissolution in the islands, and three dimensional pits bounded by {1 1 3} facets were produced.