Formation of stoichiometric SiGe oxide by electron cyclotron resonance plasma

摘要

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma oxidation of SiGe alloys was investigated at temperatures from room temperature to 500thinsp;deg;C. Both Si and Ge are shown to be fully oxidized, forming SiO2and GeO2. Auger depth profiling reveals that there is no Gehyphen;rich SiGe layer after oxidation. With increasing temperature up to 500thinsp;deg;C, the oxide is stoichiometric and it does not lose its GeO2component. Oxidation has also been carried out at both positive and negative sample bias in order to identify the role of ions, electrons, and neutrals. From biasing experiments negative oxygen ions and atomic neutrals appear to be the major reaction species.