Etching Silicon with HF–HNO 3 –H 2 SO 4 /H 2 O Mixtures – Unprecedented Formation of Trifluorosilane, Hexafluorodisiloxane, and Si–F Surface Groups

The etching behaviour of sulfuric‐acid‐containing HF–HNO 3 solutions towards crystalline silicon surfaces has been studied over a wide range of H 2 SO 4 concentrations. For mixtures with low sulfuric acid concentration, NO 2 /N 2 O 4 , N 2 O 3 , NO and N 2 O have been detected by means of FTIR spectroscopy. Increasing concentrations of nitric acid lead to high etching rates and to an enhanced formation of NO 2 /N 2 O 4 . Different products were observed for the etching of silicon with sulfuric‐acid‐rich mixtures [ c (H 2 SO 4 ) > 13 mol L –1 ]. Trifluorosilane and hexafluorodisiloxane were identified by FTIR spectroscopy as additional reaction products. In contrast to the commonly accepted wet chemical etching mechanism, the formation of trifluorosilane is not accompanied by the formation of molecular hydrogen (according to Raman spectroscopy). Thermodynamic calculations and direct reactions of F 3 SiH with the etching solution support an intermediate oxidation of trifluorosilane and the formation of hexafluorodisiloxane. The etched silicon surfaces were investigated by diffuse reflection FTIR and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Surprisingly, no SiH terminations were observed after etching in sulfuric‐acid‐rich mixtures. Instead, a fluorine‐terminated surface was found.