Thermal conduction in metallized silicon-dioxide layers on silicon

Abstract

The vertical thermal conductivities of thermally grown (TG) and chemical vapor deposited (CVD) silicon-dioxide layers 20 to 200 nm thick are measured using a simple, noncontact photothermal technique. The conductivities of TG and CVD layers are less by as much as 18% and 30%, respectively, than the conductivity of bulk fused silicon dioxide. No significant thickness dependence is observed. The thermal boundary resistance between the oxide layers and silicon is shown to be negligibly small. The boundary resistance of gold layers sputtered directly onto TG oxide is considerably larger than that of gold layers evaporated on TG oxide with a 20-nm chromium adhesion layer, and is comparable to internal resistances of the oxide layers.