AFM force-distance curve methods for measuring the kinetics of silicon chemical etching and reactions between silylating agents and a silicon surface

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to probe the kinetics of several che mical reactions on different silicon surfaces via the force-distance curve technique in air. The reactions included formation and subsequent oxidative aging of porous luminescent silicon. The kinetics of the reactions of sily lating agents with various silicon surfaces can also be followed. The use o f functionalized AFM tips for such measurements is discussed. This simple m ethod can be used to monitor certain reactions on surfaces that cannot be r eadily analyzed by traditional spectroscopic techniques.