Fluorination of the silicon-terminated (100) diamond surface using C60F48

Abstract

Fluorination of the silicon terminated (100) diamond surface under ultra-high vacuum using a molecular fluorine source (C60F48) is investigated with a combination of high resolution photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. The C60F48 fluorinates the dangling bonds of the silicon-termination on contact, resulting in an inhomogeneous fluorine termination, which remains when the C60F48 is removed by a 550 °C anneal. Despite removing approximately 50% of the surface silicon in the process, the two domain (3 × 1) surface symmetry of the silicon-terminated (100) surface is retained. When exposed to ambient conditions, while some fluorine is displaced by atmosphere exposure, ..