Tuning of SiO2/Si interface by a hybrid plasma process combining oxidation and atom-migration

Liang，Shaoxiang1; Wu，Bing1; Wang，Yinhui1; Deng，Hui1,2

2023-12-01

10.1016/j.jmapro.2023.10.045

Journal of Manufacturing Processes   影响因子和分区

1526-6125

As a common oxide-semiconductor interface, SiO/Si plays an important role in silicon-based electronics and optoelectronics. In order to effectively obtain an ultra-smooth and thin SiO/Si interface, a hybrid tuning process based on inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was proposed, which combined oxidation (plasma-OX) and atom-migration manufacturing (plasma-AMM). In plasma-OX process, a thick oxide film was rapidly prepared on Si wafer surface in 2 min, which included a SiO layer on the top and a SiO (x < 2) layer between the top layer and the bulk crystalline silicon (c-Si). In subsequent plasma-AMM process, ICP steadily delivered energy to the Si wafer surface and induced the migration of unsaturated Si from SiO layer to c-Si, which enhanced the crystallization of silicon wafer. The roughness of SiO/Si interface was reduced to Sa 0.171 nm at 620 W in 5 min. However, a 2–3 nm thickness SiO layer still existed, and several defects causing by residual thermal stress can be observed. Further optimizing plasma-AMM process by setting multi-step slow cooling, the SiO layer can be almost completely decomposed. The interface roughness Sa was reduced to <0.1 nm and the interface thickness was reduced to 1–2 atom layer. Both OX and AMM process were conducted in the same setup, which is convenient for switching. This study proposed and demonstrated the feasibility of a hybrid plasma tuning process, which provided an efficient tuning technology at atomic level for semiconductor interface.

Atom migration Atomic level Oxidation Plasma Roughness SiO2/Si interface

EI

英语

第一 ; 通讯

20234314938660

Atoms ; Inductively coupled plasma ; MOS devices ; Oxide films ; Oxide semiconductors ; Silica ; Silicon oxides ; Silicon wafers ; Tuning

Semiconducting Materials:712.1 ; Semiconductor Devices and Integrated Circuits:714.2 ; Chemical Reactions:802.2 ; Chemical Products Generally:804 ; Atomic and Molecular Physics:931.3 ; Plasma Physics:932.3

2-s2.0-85174450451

Scopus

1.Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,Guangdong,518055,China
2.Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,Guangdong,518055,China

Liang，Shaoxiang,Wu，Bing,Wang，Yinhui,et al. Tuning of SiO2/Si interface by a hybrid plasma process combining oxidation and atom-migration[J]. Journal of Manufacturing Processes,2023,107:166-178.

Liang，Shaoxiang,Wu，Bing,Wang，Yinhui,&Deng，Hui.(2023).Tuning of SiO2/Si interface by a hybrid plasma process combining oxidation and atom-migration.Journal of Manufacturing Processes,107,166-178.

Liang，Shaoxiang,et al."Tuning of SiO2/Si interface by a hybrid plasma process combining oxidation and atom-migration".Journal of Manufacturing Processes 107(2023):166-178.