A nearly ideal Si(001) surface was prepared by a wet-chemical method with a solution of HF:HCl=1:19 (pH<1). The surface was examined by scanning tunneling microscopy and was found to be covered by the uniform dihydride phase. Its successful preparation was the direct consequence of the following facts: The suppression of the (111) facet formation due to a low concentration of OH ions in the etchant solution and the stabilization of the surfaces structure due to the formation of the ordered steps.
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Morita et al. (1995) studied this question.