Combined IR and XPS analysis of the native (1 0 0) surface of single-crystalline silicon after HFaq etching

A combined analysis, based on angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and multiple-internal-reflection infrared spectroscopy, of the (1 0 0) silicon surface after etching in dilute aqueous solution of HF is presented. The analysis shows that the surface is mainly formed by a heterogeneous distribution of SiH, SiH2 and SiH3 terminations, but contains (in addition to sub-stoichiometric oxidized silicon) a form of reduced silicon, not consistent with the currently accepted picture of the native HFaq-etched surface. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.