Mechanisms for oxygen adsorption on the Si(110) surface studied by Auger electron spectroscopy

Abstract

Oxygen adsorption on the Si(110) surface has been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy. For a clean annealed surface chemisorption occurs, with an initial sticking probability of ∼6 × 10 −3. In this case the oxygen o kll signal saturates and no formation of SiO 2 can be detected from an analysis of the Si L 2,3VV lineshape. With electron impact on the surface during oxygen exposure much larger quantities are adsorbed with the formation of an SiO 2 surface layer. This increased reactivity towards oxygen is due to either a direct effect of the electron beam or to a combined action of the beam with residual CO during oxygen inlet, which creates reactive carbon centers on the surface. Thus in the presence of an electron beam on the surface separate exosures to CO showed adsorption of C and O. For this surface subsequent exposure in the absence of the electron beam resulted in additional oxygen adsorption and formation of SiO 2. No adsorption of CO could be detected without electron impact. The changes in surface chemistry with adsorption are detectable from the Si L 2,3VV Auger spectrum. Assignments can be made of two main features in the spectra, relating to surface and bulk contributions to the density of states in the valence band.