Structure of the BSi(100) surface at low boron coverage studied by scanning tunnelling microscopy

Scanning tunnelling microscopy is used to study the structure of the BSi(100) surface at low boron coverage, the surface being prepared by high-temperature annealing of heavily B-doped Si(100) samples. The surface reproducibly shows features which are identified as being induced by boron atoms. Based on high-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy measurements performed at different tip-sample biases, a structural model of the boron-induced features is proposed. The effect of the formation conditions on the atomic structure of the BSi(100) surface is discussed.