INITIAL ADSORPTION OF TRIMETHYLSILANE ON GE(100) SURFACES

Trimethylsilane (TMSiH) was adsorbed onto a Ge(100) surface at a tempe rature of -150 +/- 3 degrees C and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (X PS) was used to study the resulting surface species as functions of th e TMSiH exposure in Langmuir (L). The core-level C 1s, Si 2p and Ge 3d photoelectrons were monitored after each dosing. It was observed that the C-C bonds are the dominant species formed at the low doses of TMS iH. The second abundant species at the low coverage is the C-Ge bond. This indicated dissociative adsorption of TMSiH molecules onto a clean Ge(100) surface, which is similar to the adsorption of TMSiH molecule s onto an Si(100) surface. As the dose increases, the Si-C species gra dually increase due to physisorbed TMSiH on top of the C-C-and C-Ge-co vered surface, This study clearly reveals the growth processes of TMSi H on a Ge(100) surface. The electronegativities of C, Si and Ge and th e bond strengths of C-C, C-Si and C-Ge were invoked to discuss the ini tial formation of C-C and C-Ge on the Ge(100) surface. (C) 1998 John W iley & Sons, Ltd.