UHV-MOCVD growth of TiO2 on SiOx/Si(1 1 1): Interfacial properties reflected in the Si 2p photoemission spectra

Metal–organic chemical vapour deposition growth of titanium oxide on moderately pre-oxidised Si(1 1 1) using the titanium(IV) isopropoxide precursor has been studied for two different growth modes, reaction-limited growth at 300 °C and flux-limited growth at 500 °C. The interfacial properties have been characterized by monitoring synchrotron radiation excited Si 2p photoemission spectra. The cross-linking from oxidised Si to bulk Si after TTIP exposure has been found to be very similar to that of SiOx/Si(1 1 1). However, the results show that the additional oxidation of Si most probably causes a corrugation of the SiOx/Si interface. Those conclusions are valid for both growth modes. A model is introduced in which the amorphous interface region is described as (TiO2)x(SiO2)y where x and y changes linearly and continuously over the interface. The model quantifies how (TiO2)x(SiO2)y mixing changes the relative intensities of the signals from silicon oxide and silicon. The method can be generalised and used for the analyses of other metal-oxides on silicon.