Photodesorption and photofragmentation of disilane adsorbed on a hydrogen terminated Si(100) surface

The photochemical mechanisms leading to the desorption and fragmentation of Si₂H₆ adsorbed on a hydrogen terminated Si(100) surface have been explored by recording the time-of-flight distributions of products escaping from the surface and by using electron energy loss spectroscopy to probe possible electronic excitations. Photodesorption of intact Si₂H₆ involves hot electrons that lose energy and move to the conduction band edge before initiating desorption. When the wavelength of the incident light is 193 nm, Si₂H₆ fragments give mostly Si, SiH₂, H₂ and SiH₄, but this pathway is quenched at longer wavelengths. This is consistent with direct excitation, but we also show that a negative ion resonance is accessible to substrate electrons that have been excited by 193 nm light.