Large scale morphology of ZnO(10(1)over-bar0)-surfaces

Scanning tunnelling microscopy has been used to examine the large scale morphology of the mixed-terminated ZnO(10 (1) over bar0) surface. The influence of the preparation parameters and the sample miscut on the terrace structure was studied. On nominally flat surfaces higher annealing temperatures do not lead to a flattening of the oxide surface but to terraces strongly elongated in [0001]-direction and the preference of step edges parallel to [0001]. On vicinal surfaces with a miscut towards [0001] a regular step train bounded by steps nearly exclusively oriented parallel [1 (2) over bar 10] can be prepared. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.