Electronic properties and pH stability of Si(111)/alkyl monolayers

The electronic properties of hydrogenated and alkyl-grafted silicon surfaces have been investigated by photoluminescence, surface photovoltage and electrochemical capacitance measurements, which are sensitive methods for monitoring the presence of electronic defects. On p-type silicon, the electronic quality of the interface was found to depend critically on the surface preparation and was studied with special care. The thermal grafting of one monolayer of linear organic chains on atomically flat silicon allows the formation of stable alkyl-grafted p-Si surfaces, exhibiting a very low density of recombination centers comparable to those measured on hydrogenated silicon surfaces. Photoluminescence measurements show that the high electronic quality of the grafted surfaces is preserved on a month scale in air, indicating a much more efficient long term passivation by comparison with hydrogenated Si surfaces. The stability of the silicon/organic layer interface in aqueous buffer solution has been assessed by in situ photoluminescence and surface photovoltage measurements. Some degradation of the electronic properties was evidenced during exposure in basic solution of pH > 9.