title: Metal-silicene interaction studied by scanning tunneling microscopy.
abstract: Ag atoms have been deposited on 3  ×  3 silicene and  √3  ×  √3 silicene films by molecular beam epitaxy method in ultrahigh vacuum. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, we found that Ag atoms do not form chemical bonds with both 3  ×  3 silicene and  √3  ×  √3 silicene films, which is due to the chemically inert surface of silicene. On 3  ×  3 silicene films, Ag atoms mostly form into stable flat-top Ag islands. In contrast, Ag atoms form nanoclusters and glide on silicene films, suggesting a more inert nature. Raman spectroscopy suggests that there is more sp (2) hybridization in  √3  ×  √3 than in  √7  ×  √7/3  ×  3 silicene films.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jincheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Weichang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du