Abstract
The structure of a Si(111)-(7×7) surface capped by a 200 Å film of C 60 was studied by grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction. The Si(111)-(7×7) reconstruction prepared in vacuum, including the loosely bonded "adatoms" on the surface, is preserved under the C 60 overlayer. This result illustrates that C 60 can be used as an inert cap for surfaces and suggests potentially interesting applications in surface science research and electronic device engineering.