Investigation of the strain relaxation mechanism in the Si–SiO2 system during the process of its formation

Abstract

The results of the studies of the influence of generation and annihilation of point defects on the stresses evolution in the Si-SiO 2 system during the process of SiO 2 formation by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), infrared absorption spectroscopy, deflection measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are presented. The obtained results confirm the interdependence between the stresses relaxation in the Si-SiO 2 system and point defects in Si and SiO 2 . It has been established that the dependence of the EPR signal intensity from vacancy type defects on the oxidation time is non-monotonous and is accompanied by a non-monotonous change of the stresses in the Si-SiO 2 system. The stresses can be reduced by an appropriate choice of the oxidation conditions (oxidation time and temperature).