AVS 49th International Symposium
    Surface Science Wednesday Sessions
       Session SS2-WeA

Paper SS2-WeA7
Helium Atom Scattering Studies of Si-Cu (001) and Sn-Cu (001) Surface Alloys

Wednesday, November 6, 2002, 4:00 pm, Room C-110

Session: Structure and Chemistry at Metal Surfaces
Presenter: L.V. Goncharova, Rutgers University
Authors: L.V. Goncharova, Rutgers University
D.V. Potapenko, Rutgers University
B.J. Hinch, Rutgers University
X. Zhang, Temple University
D.R. Strongin, Temple University
L. Wood, Dow Corning Corporation
Correspondent: Click to Email
Copper acts catalytically in the commercial "Direct Synthesis" of dimethyldichlorosilane; the later being a key component in the manufacturing of silicone materials. While Cu-Si systems have been studied intensively, the roles of other components, such as Sn, Zn and Al, which act as promoters in the "Direct Synthesis", are not well understood. We report on the growth and dynamics of silicon and thin tin films on Cu (001), as studied with high-resolution helium atom scattering (HAS), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). We have shown that the incommensurate "5x3" structure is formed when silicon is deposited on Cu (001) via saturation exposure to silane at 420K.@footnote 1@ With Sn deposition temperatures above 200K a series of ordered reconstructions are observed on Cu (001) in the submonolayer regime.@footnote 2@ Coadsorption of tin and silicon on Cu (001) is of a key importance as it enables a new low temperature desorption mechanism of methylsilanes. The relationships between structures in coadsorbed tin and silicon on the Cu (001) surface, and yields of different methylsilane products will be presented. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ A.P.Graham, B.J. Hinch, G.P.Kochanski, E.M. McCash, and W. Allison, Phys.Rev.B 50 (1994) 15304.@footnote 2@ E.McLoughlin, A.A. Cafolla, E. AlShamaileh, C.J. Barnes, Surf.Sci. 482-485 (2001) 1431.