Novel oxidation process in Ge+-implanted Si and its effect on oxidation kinetics

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Abstract
Thermal oxidation of Si is shown to be substantially affected by the implantation of Ge+ ions. A unique morphology develops during steam oxidation due to the rejection of Ge from the oxide at the growth interface. The Ge pile‐up leads to the formation of a distinct layer of almost pure Ge between the oxide and the underlying Si. Oxidation rates are enhanced due to the presence of this film which is shown to increase the interfacial reaction rate. This increase is attributed to a decrease in the binding energy of Si atoms at the interface as a result of alloying with the Ge film. A model is proposed to account for the enhanced oxidation kinetics and is shown to be in good agreement with experimental data.