Chemically treated Si surfaces in 1NH4OH:XH2O2:5H2O (X = 0 and 1) solutions at 80 °C have been studied using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The SE data clearly indicate that the X = 0 solution results in surface roughening while the X = 1 solution, in surface chemical oxidation. It is found that chemical oxidation occurs immediately upon immersing the sample in the X = 1 solution. The thickness of the oxide is also found to show a saturated value of approximately 11 angstroms against immersion time t.