STM Surface Modification of Si-SiO2-Polymer System
Victor M. Kornilov (

), A. N. Lachinov
Institute of Molecular and Crystal Physics of Ufa Research Center of RAS
450075, Ufa, Russia.
The paper presents the results of the STM investigation of the Si-SiO2-polymer
system on the air. Earlier the Si surface modification with the use of STM was
explained by the irreversible oxidization. The modern techniques of the
surface etching and passivation together with the existence of the
uncontrolled adsorbate layer hamper obtaining of the reliable information
about the surface. In order to exclude surface adsorption, desorption and
oxidization the polymer coating was used. Earlier it was shown that the
polyheteroarylenes films of less than 100 nm thick deposited on the conductive
surface can be studied with the use of STM. The specific emission
“pseudorelief” was registered in these experiments. The electrophysical
properties of thin films of these polymers is known to be strongly affected by
the processes on the metal-polymer interface which makes it possible to use
these films as specific sensors for charge phenomena.
It was shown that modification of the pseudorelief is possible in certain
scanning modes. These modes are near the same as those for the initial Si-SiO2
surface. When the positive voltage is applied to the sample, depressions are
registered, in the opposite polarity “protrusions” are observed. The
conditions for “rewriting” of the pseudorelief on the same place were found.
The electronic model of the phenomenon is discussed. The model considers
tunneling of the charge into the polymer through the oxide layer with its
subsequent capturing by the polymer traps. The captured charge influences the
tunneling parameters of STM. This phenomenon makes it possible to use STM for
recording, erasing and reading of information on the Si-SiO2-polymer
structure.