ULTRATHIN SILICON-OXIDE FILMS DEPOSITED BY SYNCHROTRON IRRADIATION OFCONDENSED LAYERS OF SILANES AND WATER

Silicon oxide and carbide ultrathin films (less than 50 Angstrom thick ) were grown at rates of up to 1 Angstrom s(-1) using a previously dev eloped technique. To form silicon oxide, a mixture of silane or tetram ethylsilane and water was condensed onto a metal surface, which was th en exposed to either broad-band or monochromatized synchrotron radiati on. Characterization by soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and near -edge X-ray absorption fine structure showed that clean, near-stoichio metric films of self-limited thickness were grown. The results also su ggested that the reactions leading to film growth were predominantly e xcited by electrons produced by photon absorption in the substrate.