Room-Temperature Growth of Al Films on Si(111)-7×7 Surface

Reflection high energy electron diffraction and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) are used to investigate the structure and morphology of Al films deposited on Si(111)-7×7 surface at room temperature. The films are polycrystalline, made up of (100) and (111) oriented islands, which primarily result from the interface elastic effect and free surface energies of the Al (100) and (111) surfaces.