TDS Applied to Investigate the Hydrogen and Silane Desorption from Porous Silicon

Hydrogen and silane desorption from n-type porous silicon samples, prepared by electrochemical etching, has been investigated by Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy (TDS). Desorption rates were monitored by a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) during linear heating of the samples. Two peaks have been found in the hydrogen desorption spectra related to H2 desorption from ≡Si–H and =Si=2H configurations, respectively. Activation energies for hydrogen and silane desorption have been measured by using the heating rate variation method.