Adsorption of phosphorus on Si(111): Structure and chemical reactivity

We have investigated the adsorption and reaction of PH₃ on Si(111)-(7×{}7) between 100 and 900 K. The topology, electronic structure, and chemical reactivity of the resulting P-doped surface was studied by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and ion-scattering spectroscopy. The P-doped surface has a P:Si(111)-(1×{}1) structure where P substitutes for the first Si-layer atoms of the Si(111) surface. This surface has no dangling bonds and is chemically inert.