Silicon-fluorine bonding and fluorine profiling in SiO2 films grown by NF3-enhanced oxidation

Abstract
The incorporation and chemical bonding of fluorine introduced in SiO2 thin films by NF3‐enhanced oxidation of silicon has been studied by means of x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling. Fluorine bonding in the oxide network is observed, indicated to occur in the area of the oxidizing interface and resulting in depth profiles which reflect the manner of the exposure of the growing oxide to the NF3 fluorine source during oxidation.