Scanning tunneling microscopy observation of hydrogen-terminated Si 001/surfaces after rinsing in ultrapure water with low dissolved oxygen concentration

Scanning tunneling microscopy STM.observations have been employed to observe hydrogen-terminated Si 001. surfaces prepared by rinsing in ultrapure water UPW.with very low dissolved oxygen DO.after removal of the native oxide using 1% HF acid at room temperature. Domed-shaped protrusions with height in nanometers, hut-shaped clusters parallel to the 110:, and terraces parallel to the Si 001.surfaces were observed on the UPW-treated surfaces. The shape of the protrusions emerge even after 30 min rinsing and the roughness of the Si 001.surface increased with increasing duration of UPW rinsing. The morphology variation due to the rinsing is consistent with the results obtained from attenuated-total-re- flectance Fourier-transmittance infrared ATR-FT-IR.measurement. q1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved