We prepared beta-FeSi2 films from Si(111) surfaces deposited with Fe of thicknesses of less than 150 nm by annealing in an ultrahigh vacuum environment. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) indicated that the surface crystallinity changed from body-centered-cubic Fe to non-crystallized Si by way of beta-FeSi2 during the solid phase growth. The generation of beta-FeSi2 was confirmed not only by RHEED but also by Raman spectroscopy. Although scanning electron microscope observations indicated that some of the initially deposited Fe remained unreacted on the beta-FeSi2 surface after the solid phase growth, we found that it can be selectively removed with FeCl3 solution. We confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy that beta-FeSi2 films with a thickness of 15 nm were formed from 100-nm thick Fe-deposited Si(111) 7x7 surfaces. We discuss how to enhance the solid phase growth of beta-FeSi2 on Si(111). (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.