Phase boundary fluctuations on Si(111)

Abstract

Thermal fluctuations of phase boundaries seperating two regions of Si surfaces near the phase transition temperature of 1135 K were analyzed by low-energy electron microscopy. The surface stress difference between the phases was found to affect the surface morphology and was estimated to be 0.06ev/(angstrom)2. The effect of elastic self-interactions at the phase boundary was integrated at the local phase boundary stiffness.