The contact angles of trapped steps
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-28-1994
Abstract
During faceting of vicinal Si(111) surfaces misoriented towards the [112] direction, defect structures in the form of trapped steps are occasionally formed. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we observe that the contact angle between steps trapped on (7 × 7) reconstructed surfaces and the step bunches is a constant independent of the total miscut angle. If these steps are in local equilibrium, then the contact angle is governed by the relative step formation energies in the ("1 × 1") and (7 × 7) phases. The measured value of the angle is 30 ± 2°. From this value, the ratio between the step formation energies in the (1 × 1) and (7 × 7) phases is found to be 0.87 ± 0.05. © 1994.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Chemical Physics Letters
First Page
595
Last Page
599
Recommended Citation
Li, B., Bartelt, N., & Williams, E. (1994). The contact angles of trapped steps. Chemical Physics Letters, 217 (5-6), 595-599. https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2614(93)E1437-L