A structured two-dimensional Au–Si alloy

We report the formation of an ordered two-dimensional gold–silicon (Au/Si) alloy by deposition of a sub-monolayer of Si onto Au(1 1 1). Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) images show that at room temperature the Au/Si alloy consists of parallel rows with row-spacing 0.47 nm. These rows appear to float on Au(1 1 1) in bundles. Each bundle of rows can bend quite freely forming arches of arbitrary curvature. By annealing to 300 °C in ultra-high vacuum, the alloy changes its structure by forming straight rows with row spacing 0.35 nm.