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Abstract

The photochemistry of Si₂H₆ adsorbed on a hydrogen terminated silicon surface and the subsequentreactions of the photolysis products were investigated using high resolution electron energy lossspectroscopy and by measuring time-of-flight distributions with a mass spectrometer. The crackingpattern of the products ejected directly into the gas phase without colliding with either the surfaceor other molecules indicates that the primary photolysis channels yield mostly fragments thatcontain one silicon atom. It is likely that silicon is added to the surface by insertion of SiH₂ radicalsinto Si–H bonds at the surface but there is little evidence for reactions that remove excess hydrogenfrom the surface at 110 K