Process for improving the quality of epitaxial silicon films grown on insulating substrates utilizing oxygen ion conductor substrates

摘要

The present invention accomplishes the thermal oxidation of the silicon side of the interface present in epitaxial silicon films grown on yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia, Si / YSZ , to form a dual-layer structure of Si /amorphous SiO.sub.2 / YSZ . The SiO.sub.2 films are formed in either dry oxygen (at 1100. degree. C. ) or in pyrogenic steam (at 925 C.) by the rapid diffusion of oxidizing species through a 425 m thick cubic zirconia substrate. For instance, a 0.17 m thick SiO.sub.2 layer is obtained after 100 min in pyrogenic steam at 925 C. This relatively easy transport of oxidants is unique to YSZ and other insulators which are also superionic oxygen conductors, and cannot be achieved in other existing Si/insulator systems, such as silicon-on-sapphire.