A Study of Thermally Oxidized SiO2 Films by Transmission Electron Micrographs

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Abstract
The film structure of thermally oxidized SiO2 films close to the Si–SiO2 interface have been studied. When the (111) face silicon substrates were oxidized in dry oxygen, circular white spots are observed. The density and diameter of white spots were 78–101×108 cm-2 and 595–l360Å respectively when the substrates were oxidized at 1200°C for 6 hours. The activation energy derived from the relationship between the white spot density and the oxidation temperature was 58 kcal/mol. The dark spots surrounded by the circular white spots suggest that the excess silicon close to the interface localizes and forms excess silicon lumps. The dark and white spots were not observed when the (100) face silicon substrates are oxidized in dry oxygen at 1000–1200°C, and when the steam oxide specis were applied to the oxidation of both the (111) and (100) faces of silicon substrates at 1000–1200°C.

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