Metal-silicene interaction studied by scanning tunneling microscopy.

Ag atoms have been deposited on 3  ×  3 silicene and  √3  ×  √3 silicene films by molecular beam epitaxy method in ultrahigh vacuum. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, we found that Ag atoms do not form chemical bonds with both 3  ×  3 silicene and  √3  ×  √3 silicene films, which is due to the chemically inert surface of silicene. On 3  ×  3 silicene films, Ag atoms mostly form into stable flat-top Ag islands. In contrast, Ag atoms form nanoclusters and glide on silicene films, suggesting a more inert nature. Raman spectroscopy suggests that there is more sp (2) hybridization in  √3  ×  √3 than in  √7  ×  √7/3  ×  3 silicene films.