Ultrathin oxide patterns of a linewidth of 50 A˚ have been created on Si(100)‐2×1 surfaces by a scanning tunneling microscope operating in ultrahigh vacuum. The oxide thickness is estimated to be 4–10 A˚. The morphology and spectroscopy of the oxide region are obtained. Hydrogen passivation is used as an oxidation mask. The defects caused by oxidation in the passivated region before and after the hydrogen desorption are compared and discussed. The multistep silicon processings by an ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling micropscope is thus demonstrated. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.