Thermal oxidation method utilizing atomic oxygen to reduce dangling bonds in silicon dioxide grown on silicon
First Claim
1. A method of thermally oxidizing silicon to form a layer of silicon dioxide on a surface of the silicon, the method comprising:
- placing the silicon and a ceramic material in a furnace;
passing oxygen gas through the ceramic material to generate atomic oxygen, introducing the atomic oxygen to the surface of the silicon; and
heating the silicon surface such that the silicon reacts with the atomic oxygen to form the layer of silicon dioxide on the surface of the silicon.
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Abstract
Atomic oxygen, or a mixture of atomic oxygen and atomic nitrogen, is utilized in thermally oxidizing silicon to form a layer of silicon dioxide, or nitrogen-doped silicon dioxide, on a surface of the silicon. Use of atomic oxygen (or O−+N−) provides a better stoichiometric silicon dioxide structure with fewer dangling bonds than results from standard oxidation processes. The atomic oxygen (or O−+N−) may be generated within the oxidation furnace, for example by passing the gas through a heated ceramic material (e.g., Al2O3) or by using internal UV radiation of the oxygen gas. Alternatively, the atomic oxygen (or O−+N−) may be generated at a remote source, for example in a plasma reactor, and then introduced to the oxidation furnace. Atomic chlorine can be generated and used prior to the oxidation step for pre-cleaning the silicon surface.
187 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of thermally oxidizing silicon to form a layer of silicon dioxide on a surface of the silicon, the method comprising:
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placing the silicon and a ceramic material in a furnace;
passing oxygen gas through the ceramic material to generate atomic oxygen, introducing the atomic oxygen to the surface of the silicon; and
heating the silicon surface such that the silicon reacts with the atomic oxygen to form the layer of silicon dioxide on the surface of the silicon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of thermally oxidizing silicon to form a layer of silicon dioxide on a surface of the silicon, the method comprising:
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placing the silicon and a ceramic material in a furnace;
introducing an inert gas into the furnace;
pre-heating the surface of the silicon to a first temperature in the presence of the inert gas such that the presence of the inert gas substantially inhibits oxidation of the silicon surface during the pre-heating step;
passing oxygen gas through the ceramic material, and simultaneously heating the ceramic material to a second temperature that is greater than the first temperature such that the passing of the oxygen gas through the heated ceramic material generates atomic oxygen that reacts with the silicon to form the layer of silicon dioxide on the surface of the silicon. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of thermally oxidizing a silicon substrate to form a layer of silicon dioxide on the surface of the silicon substrate, the method comprising:
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placing the silicon substrate and ceramic material in a fast ramp furnace;
introducing an inert gas into the fast ramp furnace;
pre-heating the silicon substrate to a first temperature in the presence of the inert gas such that the presence of the inert gas substantially inhibits oxidation of the silicon substrate during the pre-heating step;
passing chlorine gas through the ceramic material such that the chlorine gas dissociates to generate atomic chlorine for pre-cleaning the surface of the silicon substrate;
removing chlorine constituents from the fast ramp furnace;
passing oxygen gas through the ceramic material, and simultaneously heating the ceramic material to a second temperature that is greater than the first temperature such that the passing of the oxygen gas through the heated ceramic material generates atomic oxygen that reacts with the silicon substrate to form the layer of silicon dioxide on the surface of the silicon substrate. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification