Interaction of a polyglycidol-based nonionic surfactant with silicon in hydrofluoric acid solutions

The interaction of an alkyl polyglycidol surfactant with hydrogen-passivate d silicon from dilute hydrofluoric acid solutions has been measured using w ettability and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spect roscopic techniques. The surfactant was found to be very effective in rende ring hydrophobic hydrogen-terminated silicon hydrophilic in the hydrofluori c acid solutions. The adsorption of the surfactant, and its desorption when rinsed with deionized water, were very rapid. However, approximately 20% o f the adsorbed surfactant remained on the silicon surface even after prolon ged rinsing. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(98)08-001-X. All rights reserved.