Mechanism of the growth of native oxide on hydrogen passivated silicon surfaces

The native oxide growth in water on HF etched, hydrogen passivated silicon surfaces has been studied by 18O labeling techniques, with analysis by secondary ion mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is shown that ≳85% of the oxygen in the native oxide originates from H2O and not from dissolved O2. The role of the dissolved O2/H2O couple is to anodically polarize the electrode, thus driving the H2O/Si-oxide reaction.