Growth and Structure of Water on SiO2 Films on Si Investigated by Kelvin Probe Microscopy and in Situ X-ray Spectroscopies

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Abstract
The growth of water on thin SiO2 films on Si wafers at vapor pressures between 1.5 and 4 Torr and temperatures between −10 and 21 °C has been studied in situ using Kelvin probe microscopy and X-ray photoemission and absorption spectroscopies. From 0 to 75% relative humidity (RH), water adsorbs forming a uniform film 4−5 layers thick. The surface potential increases in that RH range by about 400 mV and remains constant upon further increase of the RH. Above 75% RH, the water film grows rapidly, reaching 6−7 monolayers at around 90% RH and forming a macroscopic drop near 100%. The O K-edge near-edge X-ray absorption spectrum around 75% RH is similar to that of liquid water (imperfect H-bonding coordination) at temperatures above 0 °C and is ice-like below 0 °C.

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