Si(1 1 1)-In surface reconstructions for submonolayer coverages were investigated at room temperature using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. Deposition rate influence on the formation of surface structures is reported. It was observed that for sufficiently low deposition rate and certain annealing process Si(111)root 7 x root 3-In surface reconstruction at coverage as low as 0.2 ML is present. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.