Evidence of sp2-like Hybridization of Silicon Valence Orbitals in Thin and Thick Si Grown on α-Phase Si(111)√3 x √3R30°-Bi

One-monolayer (ML) (thin) and 5-ML (thick) Si films were grown on the alpha-phase Si(111)root 3 x root 3R30 degrees-Bi at a low substrate temperature of 200 degrees C. Si films have been studied in situ by reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) and Auger electron spectroscopy, as a function of the electron beam incidence angle alpha and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), as well as ex situ by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) were also reported. The REELS spectra, taken at the Si K absorption edge (~1.840 KeV), reveal the presence of two distinct loss structures attributed to transitions 1s ->pi* and 1s ->sigma* according to their intensity dependence on alpha, attesting to the sp(2)-like hybridization of the silicon valence orbitals in both thin and thick Si films. The synthesis of a silicon allotrope on the alpha-phase of Si(111)root 3 x root 3R30 degrees-Bi substrate was demonstrated by LEED patterns and GIXRD that discloses the presence of a Si stack of 3.099 (3) angstrom and a root 3 x root 3 unit cell of 6.474 angstrom, typically seen for multilayer silicene. STM and STS measurements corroborated the findings. These measurements provided a platform for the new root 3 x root 3R30 degrees Si allotrope on a Si(111)root 3 x root 3 R30 degrees-Bi template, paving the way for realizing topological insulator heterostructures from different two-dimensional materials, Bi and Si.

Automated summary

Si films of different thicknesses were grown on a Bi-covered Si substrate and studied using various surface characterization techniques. The results revealed the presence of a new Si allotrope structure, providing insights for the formation of heterostructures with topological insulator materials.