Atomic structure of a (2 x 1) reconstructed NiSi2/Si(001) interface.
Nickel disilicide/silicon (001) interfaces were investigated by aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The atomic structure was derived directly from the high spatial resolution high angle annular dark field STEM images without recourse to image simulation. It comprises fivefold coordinated silicon and sevenfold coordinated nickel sites at the interface and shows a 2 x 1 reconstruction. The proposed structure has not been experimentally observed before but has been recently predicted theoretically by others to be energetically favored.
Falke
Uwe
U
UK SuperSTEM, Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury WA4 4AD, United Kingdom. falke@liv.ac.uk
Bleloch
Andrew
A
Falke
Meiken
M
Teichert
Steffen
S