Fluorine-enhanced photo-oxidation of silicon under ArF excimer laser irradiation in an O2+NF3 gas mixture

Abstract

We have studied fluorine‐enhanced oxidation of silicon in an O₂+NF₃ gas mixture under ArF excimer laser (193 nm) irradiation. An oxide layer of more than 60 Å can be grown even at 400 °C for 20 min at NF₃ gas concentrations less than 0.5%. A considerable enhancement of the oxidation rate by laser irradiation originates in the catalytic effect of fluorine radicals produced by photodissociation of NF₃ molecules not only in the gas phase, but also on the oxide surface.