Hydrogen-induced metallization of a preoxidized 3C-SiC(100)3×2 surface

We investigate atomic hydrogen interaction with a preoxidized $\mathrm{Si}$ -rich $3\mathrm{C}\text{-}\mathrm{SiC}\left(100\right)3\times 2$ surface by synchrotron radiation-based valence band, and $\mathrm{Si}2p$ and $\mathrm{C}1s$ core level photoemission spectroscopies. Atomic hydrogen exposure results in (i) Fermi level built-up in the valence band, (ii) band bending, and (iii) the three $\mathrm{Si}2p$ surface components shifting to lower binding energies. These features indicate $\mathrm{H}$ -induced surface metallization. This finding opens perspectives in the metallization at the subnanometric scale of passivated semiconductor surfaces.