AFM and XPS characterization of the Si(111) surface after thermal treatment

Several phases of the thermal cleaning of crystalline Si(111) have been studied using AFM and XPS. The use of a sample exposed to a high thermal gradient has allowed us to investigate various surface morphologies on the same sample: formation of voids (native oxide decomposition), islands (pinning centers), rough area, flat and clean surface. These observations provide a novel description of the different steps involved in the thermal cleaning of a crystalline surface.