Chemisorption of thiophene on a Si(0 0 1) surface has been studied by synchrotron radiation induced photoelectron spectroscopy (SRPES). Two adsorption-related components in Si 2p and S 2p spectra are observed after exposure of thiophene. It is suggested that the two components of Si 2p are ascribed to silicon bonded to hydrocarbon and sulfur. The core-level shift resolved photoelectron diffraction (PED) result indicates that the low-kinetic-energy component of S 2p can be ascribed to 2,5-dihydrothiophehe (DHT)-like species. Another S 2p component could be assigned to dissociated sulfur based on the results of PED and time evolution of the spectrum under irradiation. These assignments are consistent with the core-level shift of S 2p. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.