Room Temperature Growth of Silicon Dioxide Using a Low Energy Ion Beam

Abstract

AbstractUltra-thin films of silicon dioxide are formed on silicon surfaces at room temperature by direct bombardment with an oxygen-containing ion beam at energies of 150 eV or less. The process of film growth is studied.through ellipsometric measurements of their properties as a function of ion energy and dose, oxygen partial pressure and substrate temperature. Typical oxide thicknesses of the order of 50 Å are obtained by three minute or longer exposures to beams of current density 135 μA/cm2. Ion-beam grown oxides are compared to conventional thin oxide films grown at elevated temperatures and show the same stoichiometry. The growth rate decreases rapidly after a continuous oxide film has been formed. Performing the ion bombardment at elevated substrate temperatures leads to only small enhancement of the oxide growth indicating non-thermally driven reaction kinetics.