Abstract
Silicon nitride can be oxidized by a Caro's solution (mixture of sulfuric acid and oxygen peroxide) at low temperatures (around 170°C). Optical (ellipsometry) and physical (Auger, x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy) characterization of the oxidized thin films shows that the cold oxidation mechanism is a diffusion‐type mechanism rather than a surface reaction mechanism. This property is used to remove the sealing nitride layer of a sealed interface local oxidation (SILO)/rapid thermal nitridation field isolation process, applied to high‐density submicron CMOS device manufacturing. In this scheme, the sealing nitride removal is one of the most critical steps to achieve high‐quality gate oxide. This process is preferred as a noncontaminating alternative to other possible processes, in terms of surface contamination or gate oxide defectivity.
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