The effect of boron on hydrogen uptake, hydride desorption kinetics, and the hydrogen-terminated Si(100) surface reconstruction was investigated at boron coverages expected during in situ chemical vapour deposition. Two dramatic changes in hydrogen adsorption compared to the clean Si(100) surface were observed. Reconstruction to the 3 x 1 surface at high hydrogen atom exposures was prevented and SiH2 formation was suppressed at boron coverages of 0.002ML. Longer-range effects, whereby monohydride formation was reduced, were seen for coverages up to 0.1ML. Monohydride formation decreased by ∼15% for 0.02ML boron. No new hydrogen desorption states were observed with boron coverages up to 0.1ML.

Boron-Induced Stabilization of the Si(100)-(2 x 1) Surface Reconstruction. B.Gong, D.E.Brown, J.H.Kang, S.K.Jo, Y.M.Sun, J.G.Ekerdt: Physical Review B, 1999, 59, 15225-9