Growth kinetics of ultrathin SiO2 films fabricated by rapid thermal oxidation of Si substrates in N2O

Abstract

Growth kinetics of ultrathin SiO2 films formed by rapid thermal oxidizing Si substrates in N2O has been studied in this communication. Results show that the linear-parabolic law still can be applied to the oxidation of Si in N2O and the interfacial nitrogen-rich layers in these films result in oxide growth in the parabolic regime by impeding oxidant diffusion to the SiO2/Si interface even for ultrathin oxides. The parabolic rate constant B exhibits an activation energy of 1.42 eV, which is the activation energy for oxidant diffusion in the interfacial nitrogen-rich layer.