Infrared spectroscopy of hydrogen on silicon surfaces

This paper is a review of infrared studies of hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces. Emphasis is given to the ideally H-terminated Si(1 1 1) surface, prepared by wet chemical techniques, because detailed information can be obtained concerning the Si-H stretching vibration, such as its precise frequency and effective charge, its lifetime and the nature of its anharmonic coupling to the SiH bending mode and to the substrate surface phonons. Comparison of this nearly ideal surface with the H-exposed Si(1 1 1)7 × 7, Si(1 1 1)2 × 1 and Si(1 0 0)2 × 1 gives some insight into the effects of reconstruction and strain on the Si-H vibrational spectrum.