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X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM) is used to investigate the chemical composition of Ge/Si individual islands obtained by depositing Ge on Si(111) substrates in the temperature range 460–560 °C. We are able to correlate specific island shapes with a definite chemical contrast in XPEEM images, at each given temperature. In particular, strained triangular islands exhibit a Si surface content of 5%–20%, whereas it grows up to 30%–40% for “atoll-like” structures. The island’s stage of evolution is shown to be correlated with its surface composition. Finally, by plotting intensity contour maps, we find that island centers are rich in Si.

By using step-bunched Si(111) surfaces as templates, we demonstrate the self-assembly of an ordered distribution of Ge islands without lithographic patterning. Initially, islands nucleate and evolve at step edges, up to complete ripening, forming long ribbons. Subsequently, island nucleation takes place at the center of flat terraces. Ge islands appear to be regularly spaced in scanning tunneling microscope images. The exploitation of this effect provides a possible route to grow ordered arrays of semiconducting nanostructures.

The work function of solid layers of increasing thicknesses of E2M8− sapphyrin, deposited on a gold substrate by the Langmuir–Blodgett method, has been measured by the Kelvin-probe technique. The results show that the contact-potential-difference values depend upon the layer thickness, reaching saturation after a certain amount of deposited sapphyrin. Scanning tunneling microscope images taken at the same coverages show that corresponding with this threshold, sapphyrin forms a true continuous layer on gold, completely covering the substrate. Evolution of the layer towards its completion is accompanied by a continuous variation of the work-function value, consistent with an increasing dipole term due to the interaction of sapphyrin with the metal substrate.

The spontaneous formation of nanometric and highly dense (∼3×1012cm−2) Ge droplets on thin SiO2 film on Si(001) is investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Ge dots have been grown by depositing Ge on the clean SiO2 surface at room temperature and then annealing the sample at 500°C. Ge dots appear to be free of germanium oxides and characterized by a flat surface with the onset of {113} faceting. I-V curves show that they have an energy gap of approximately 1.8eV, well above that of bulk Ge. Fabrication of nanometer-sized, highly dense pure Ge droplets is very promising for nanoelectronics applications.