In-situ observation of wet oxidation kinetics on Si(100) via ambient pressure x-ray photoemission spectroscopy

Abstract

The initial stages of wet thermal oxidation of Si(100)-(2 X 1) have been investigated by in situ ambient pressure x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, including chemical-state resolution via Si 2p core-level spectra. Real-time growth rates of silicon dioxide have been monitored at 100 mTorr of water vapor. This pressure is considerably higher than in any prior study using x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Substrate temperatures have been varied between 250 and 500 degrees C. Above a temperature of similar to 400 degrees C, two distinct regimes, a rapid and a quasisaturated one, are identified, and growth rates show a strong temperature dependence which cannot be explained by the conventional Deal-Grove model. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.