Silicon Oxidation Studies: The Oxidation of Heavily B‐ and P‐Doped Single Crystal Silicon

Abstract

The present oxidation study covers the 780°–1150°C temperature range using 0.001 Ω‐cm Si which is heavily B‐ and P‐doped Si in dry . Emphasis is on the lower temperatures thereby extending the scope of already published studies. For 0.001 Ω‐cm Si at temperatures greater than 1000°C, the over‐all oxidation rates were found to conform to the order (where STD is 2 Ω‐cm B‐doped Si), which is in agreement with published results for the higher temperatures. However, for the lower oxidation temperatures of the present study (≤1000°C), the order for the over‐all oxidation rates was found to be The oxidation data was taken using an automated ellipsometer in situ and was analyzed using a linear‐parabolic oxidation model. The resulting linear rate constants could be correlated with well‐known B depletion and P accumulation effects near the interface while a consideration of the structural roles of B and P in the network was necessary to explain the parabolic rate constants. Phase separation of occurred in the grown on B‐doped Si and Si precipitation was observed in all the oxides grown at 1150°C but neither of these phenomena are believed to affect the oxidation kinetics. The extended temperature range showed non‐Arrhenius behavior which could explain the divergent activation energies reported from published studies.