We combine density functional theory calculations and scanning tunneling microscopy investigations to identify the relevant chemical species and reactions in the nucleation phase of chemical vapor deposition. tert-Butylphosphine (TBP) was deposited on a silicon substrate under conditions typical for surface functionalization and growth of semiconductor materials. On the activated hydrogen-covered surface H/Si(001) it forms a strong covalent P-Si bond without loss of the tert-butyl group. Calculations show that site preference for multiple adsorption of TBP is influenced by steric repulsion of the adsorbate's bulky substituent. STM imaging furthermore revealed an anisotropic distribution of TBP with a preference for adsorption perpendicular to the surface dimer rows. The adsorption patterns found can be understood by a mechanism invoking stabilization of surface hydrogen vacancies through electron donation by an adsorbate. The now improved understanding of nucleation in thin-film growth may help to optimize molecular precursors and experimental conditions and will ultimately lead to higher quality materials.
Keywords: chemical vapor deposition; scanning probe microscopy; semiconductors; surface chemistry; thin films.
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