Thermal Stability of Organic Monolayers Covalently Grafted on Silicon Surfaces

Organic modification of silicon surfaces is a topic of high interest in fundamental surface chemistry research as well as for the development of technological applications ranging from microelectronics to photovoltaics and biotechnology. Over the past decades, many approaches to anchor covalently organic monolayers to hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces have been investigated. These organic monolayers may bear specific terminal groups depending on the application aimed at. Also, they may be used as buffer layers to protect the silicon surface against oxidation in contact with atmospheric environment or aqueous media. In the context of further modification of the silicon surfaces (e.g., in microelectronics), thermal processes at temperatures higher than ambient are necessary; thus, the understanding of the reaction mechanisms of the thermal decomposition of such organic layers may become an important issue. In this chapter the thermal stability of organic layers grafted onto silicon surfaces is reviewed, and the reaction mechanisms of the thermal degradation occurring on these hybrid systems are discussed.