Thermal oxidation method utilizing atomic oxygen to reduce dangling bonds in silicon dioxide grown on silicon

Abstract

Atomic oxygen, or a mixture of atomic oxygen and atomic nitrogen, is utilized in thermally oxidizing silicon to form a layer of silicon dioxide, or nitrogen-doped silicon dioxide, on a surface of the silicon. Use of atomic oxygen (or O +N ) provides a better stoichiometric silicon dioxide structure with fewer dangling bonds than results from standard oxidation processes. The atomic oxygen (or O +N ) may be generated within the oxidation furnace, for example by passing the gas through a heated ceramic material (e.g., Al O ) or by using internal UV radiation of the oxygen gas. Alternatively, the atomic oxygen (or O +N ) may be generated at a remote source, for example in a plasma reactor, and then introduced to the oxidation furnace. Atomic chlorine can be generated and used prior to the oxidation step for pre-cleaning the silicon surface.