Interaction of a polyglycidol-based nonionic surfactant with silicon in hydrofluoric acid solutions

The interaction of an alkyl polyglycidol surfactant with hydrogen-passivated silicon from dilute hydrofluoric acid solutions has been measured using wettability and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic techniques. The surfactant was found to be very effective in rendering hydrophobic hydrogen-terminated silicon hydrophilic in the hydrofluoric acid solutions. The adsorption of the surfactant, and its desorption when rinsed with deionized water, were very rapid. However, approximately 20% of the adsorbed surfactant remained on the silicon surface even after prolonged rinsing. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(98)08-001-X. All rights reserved.