Hydrogen-mediated epitaxy of Ag on Si(111) as studied by low-energy ion scattering

We have investigated the effect of the saturation of surface dangling bonds of Si(111) surfaces with atomic hydrogen upon Ag thin-film growth. By using time-of-flight-type low-energy ion scattering-recoil analysis techniques, we find that the growth mode of Ag thin films is drastically changed by the hydrogen termination of Si(111)-7×{}7 surfaces and that the epitaxial growth of A-type Ag(111) films is promoted by the hydrogen atoms residing at the film/substrate interface.