The Au/Si(111)7×7 interface: Correlation between electronic and morphological properties by high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy

We have studied the diffusive Au/Si(111)-7×7 interface by surface sensitive techniques (high-resolution electron energy-loss and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopies) and by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The combination of the spectroscopic methods with TEM allows us to propose a new morphological description of the layer growing at room temperature, namely, that there are crystallites of pure Au embedded in an amorphous AuxSi1−x alloy matrix.