Shape transition in nano-pits after solid-phase etching of SiO{sub 2} by Si islands

Journal Article · Mon May 11 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921091· OSTI ID:22399034

Leroy, F.; Curiotto, S.; Cheynis, F.; Müller, P. ^[1]; Saito, Y. ^[2]; Pierre-Louis, O. ^[3]

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1. Aix Marseille Université CNRS, CINaM UMR 7325, 13288 Marseille (France)
2. Department of Physics, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama (Japan)
3. Institut Lumière Matière, UMR 5306 Université Lyon-1-CNRS, 69622 Villeurbanne (France)

We study the nano-pits formed during the etching of a SiO{sub 2} film by reactive Si islands at T≈1000 °C. Combining low energy electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, and an analytic model based on reaction and diffusion at the solid interface, we show that the shape of the nanopits depend on the ratio R/x{sub s} with R the Si island radius and x{sub s} the oxygen diffusion-length at the Si/SiO{sub 2} interface. For small R/x{sub s}, nanopits exhibit a single-well V-shape, while a double-well W-shape is found for larger R/x{sub s}. The analysis of the transition reveals that x{sub s}∼60 nm at T≈1000 °C.

• OSTI ID: 22399034
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 19; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DIFFUSION
DIFFUSION LENGTH
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ETCHING
FILMS
INTERFACES
MONTE CARLO METHOD
OXYGEN
SILICON
SILICON OXIDES
SOLIDS