Adsorption and thermal decomposition of C60 on Co/Si(111)-7 × 7

We present a study on the adsorption and thermal decomposition of C60 on Co covered Si(111)-7 × 7 using scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Co-induced magic clusters grown on Si(111)-7 × 7 are identified as a possible adsorption site where 51 ± 3% of C60 molecules adsorb at room temperature. On Co/Si(111)-7 × 7, C60 molecules start to decompose at 450 °C, and are completely dissociated to form SiC by 720 °C. This temperature is significantly lower than 910 °C at which C60 completely dissociates on clean Si(111)-7 × 7. This is a possible low temperature method for growing crystalline SiC films using C60 as a precursor molecule.