Silicene vs. ordered 2D silicide: the atomic and electronic structure of the Si-$(\sqrt{19}\times\sqrt{19})R23.4^{\circ}$/Pt(111) surface reconstruction

Abstract

We discuss the possibility of a 2D ordered structure formed upon deposition of Si on metal surfaces. We investigate the atomic and electronic structure of the Si-$(\sqrt{19}\times\sqrt{19})R23.4^{\circ}$/Pt(111) surface reconstruction by means of a set of experimental surface-science techniques supported by theoretical calculations. The theory achieves a very good agreement with the experimental results and corroborate beyond any doubt that this phase is a surface alloy consisting of Si$_3$Pt tetramers that resembles a twisted Kagome lattice. These findings render unlikely any formation of silicene or germanene on Pt(111) and other transition metal surfaces.