Potassium-assisted, facile oxidation of Si sub 3 N sub 4 thin films

Journal Article · Wed Feb 14 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Applied Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.345594· OSTI ID:7007316

Blair, D S; Rogers, Jr, J W; Peden, C H.F. ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-5800 (US)

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to investigate potassium-assisted, facile oxidation of silicon nitride (Si{sub 3} N{sub 4} ) thin films on Si(100) substrates. The nitride films, 0.8--2.5 nm thick, were grown by heating the Si(100) crystal in hydrazine. Potassium (K) deposited onto the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} surface at room temperature in a background of oxygen resulted in the formation of potassium peroxide (K{sub 2}O{sub 2}) overlayers. Annealing the sample at 975 K for only 60 s decomposed the K{sub 2}O{sub 2} overlayer, desorbed K from the surface, and efficiently oxidized the underlying substrate. The XPS Si(2{ital p}) spectra indicate formation of silicon oxynitride on the surface. In the early stages of oxidation, up to 100% of the oxygen originally deposited as K{sub 2}O{sub 2}, was converted to silicon oxynitride after annealing. The enhanced oxidation rate under these conditions, relative to direct thermal oxidation, is attributed to the large concentration of reactive oxygen on the surface when the K{sub 2}O{sub 2} thermally decomposes.

• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 7007316
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA) Vol. 67:4; ISSN 0021-8979; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603* -- Materials-- Properties
ALKALI METALS
ANNEALING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DEPOSITION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
FILMS
HEAT TREATMENTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
METALS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PNICTIDES
POTASSIUM
RADIATIONS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON NITRIDES
SPECTROSCOPY
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE COATING
VACUUM COATING
X RADIATION