Dissociation of N2 on a Si(111)‐7x7 Surface at Room Temperature

Abstract

AbstractWe demonstrate that the strong N2 bond can be efficiently dissociated at low pressure and ambient temperature on a Si(111)‐7x7 surface. The reaction was experimentally investigated by scanning tunnelling microscopy and X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy. Experimental and density functional theory results suggest that relatively low thermal energy collision of N2 with the surface can facilitate electron transfer from the Si(111)‐7x7 surface to the π*‐antibonding orbitals of N2 that significantly weaken the N2 bond. This activated N2 triple bond dissociation on the surface leads to the formation of a Si3N interface.