Bi-covered (<FONT FACE=Symbol>Ö</font>3× <FONT FACE=Symbol>Ö</font>3) reconstructed Si(111) surface has been studied by first principles calculations. Three different Bi coverages have been considered: 1 monolayer (ML), 1/3 ML and 2/3 ML, leading to the milkstool, T4 and the honeycomb structural models, respectively. Our total energy calculations show that the milkstool model is the energetically most stable structure for high Bi coverages followed by the T4 model for low Bi coverages, without going through a stable structure for the honeycomb model. We performed theoretical STM simulations for the three structures. For 1 ML coverage we observe the formation of Bi-trimers for occupied states, and a honeycomb image for empty states. It is suggested that the experimentally obtained STM image of a honeycomb structure does not correspond to a Bi-coverage of 2/3 ML, but it could represent a STM image of empty states localized in the T4 sites aside the Bi-trimers of the milkstool model.

We have performed ab initio calculations of the atomic structure and energetic stability of the Bi-covered InAs(110) surface. The calculations were performed within the density-functional theory, using norm-conserving fully separable ab initio pseudopotentials. Two experimentally proposed structural models have been considered: (1×1)-ECLS and (1×2). Our total energy calculations indicate that the formation of the (1×2) model is energetically more favourable than the (1×1) model by 41 meV/(1×2). The calculated equilibrium geometries, for the InAs(110)-Bi(1×1) and -Bi(1×2) surfaces, show in general a good agreement with the experimental x-ray measurements carried out by Betti et al.

The atomic geometry, chemical bonding and energetics for full -, 2/3, 1/2 and 1/3 of a monolayer of Te coverages on the Si(001)/Te -(1 x 1), (2 x 1), and (3 x 1) surfaces have been studied employing first - principles total-energy calculations. For one monolayer coverage we nd that the (1 x 1) structure is energetically favourable against (2 x 1) structure, in agreement with experimental results, indicating that the dimerization of Te atoms is not an exothermic process. For a coverage of 2/3 of a monolayer, the formation of Te-Si-Te mixed trimers, in a (3 x 1) - reconstruction, is an energetically stable configuration. At 1/3 coverage, we have obtained the formation of Si-Si dimers with a single Te atom, at the surface in a (3 x 1) - reconstruction. In this structure there is a very weak interaction between the dimer and the single Te atom.

We have performed first-principles total energy calculations to investigate the adsorption process of Ge on Si(001)/Te, and the surfactant action of Te during the epitaxial deposition of Ge on Si(001)/Te, based on an atomic exchange process, Ge <-> Te. The total energy calculation indicates that the adsorption of Ge atom in "vacancy" site is energetically more favourable than its adsorption in "bridge" site. The adsorption of Ge in "on-top" and "anti-bridge" sites can be ruled out. The segregation process of Te atoms, based on an atomic exchange mechanism, reduces the total energy of the surface, confirming the surfactant effect of Te atoms.