STM study of In nanostructures formation on Ge(001) surface at different coverages and temperatures

Different In/Ge(001) nanostructures have been obtained by annealing the samples at 320°C with different coverages of In. Annealing a sample with a critical coverage of 2.1 monolayer of In, different In/Ge(001) nanostructures can be obtained at different temperatures. It is found that thermal annealing treatments first make In atoms form elongated Ge{103}-faceted In-clusters, which will grow wider and longer with increasing temperature, and finally cover the surface completely.