Oxidation of Si implanted with nondopant, metallic ions

Abstract

The effect of implantation of low-solubility, metallic impurities into Si on the oxidation kineties in steam was studied. The list of impurities that were studied include Ti, Co, Ni, Fe, Yb, Pb, Sn, and Ag. Kinetic data from Pb+ -implanted Si is correlated with the impurity behavior during the oxidation. It will be shown that the oxidation rate is dependent both on the impurity segregation phenomena at the oxide/Si interface and on the nature of the ion-induced damage that is stable at the oxidation temperature. Also, it is shown that novel morphologies can develop in the Si substrate during oxidation. Transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering/channeling spectroscopy were used to characterize these structures. Mechanisms responsible for the morphological changes in the substrate during oxidation are discussed.