Effects of Corona‐Discharge‐Induced Oxygen Ion Beams and Electric Fields on Silicon Oxidation Kinetics: II . Electric Field Effects

Abstract

Using an in situ corona discharge ion current source directed to the front side of oxidizing silicon wafers, the effect of the electric field induced in the oxide on the back side of the wafers was studied. Oxidation enhancement was found to occur when the surface of the oxide was positive relative to the silicon. No enhancement or a slight retardation occurred for the opposite sign of field. This is exactly opposite to the effect found by Jorgensen (1), which has been traced to his use of platinum electrodes, in that the presence of the platinum dramatically influences the growth rate of the via the formation of an intermediate phase of platinum silicide. The results and analysis presented here support the theory that neutral is the diffusing species in the thermal oxidation of silicon.