Atomic scale silicon surface processing for nanostructuring and precise surface measurements

Atomic processes, that governing the formation of crystalline surface morphology, attracted the considerable attention for possible applications in manufacturing of nanometer scale objects and providing accurate measurements in metrology and calibration techniques. In this paper some new results on the nanostructuring of the atomically clean silicon surface by means of in situ ultrahigh vacuum reflection electron microscopy technique are presented. The formation of an extremely flat silicon surfaces with two-dimensional nanoislands as a reference metrology tool for optical and laser measurements is demonstrated.