Reflection high energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy (RHEED-AES) observation of Bi desorption from a single-domain Si(001)2x1-Bi surface

Bi desorption from a single-domain Si(001)2x1-Bi surface was investigated using grazing-incidence reflection high energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy (RHEED-AES). This RHEED-AES method enabled the simultaneous measurement of both the surface structure and the surface coverage, theta(Bi), during Bi desorption. As theta(Bi) decreased from 1 ML to 0 ML, the RHEED intensity profiles indicated several structural changes which were in accordance with previously reported structural changes. Despite these structural changes, the Bi desorption follows first-order reaction kinetics over the entire coverage range of 1 ML greater than or equal to Bsi with an activation energy of 1.54eV.