Diffusion limited oxygen precipitation in silicon: Precipitate growth kinetics and phase formation

Abstract

Published experimental data on silicon oxide precipitate growth kinetics are interpreted in the framework of the theory of Ham for diffusion limited precipitation. A growth law for plate-like, octahedral and spherical precipitates is derived showing a size dependence which varies as the square root of time. Using well accepted data for the solubility and the diffusion constant of oxygen in silicon, the calculations suggest that the precipitated phase is closer to SiO than to SiO2.