Low Temperature Oxidation of Silicon After Copper Ion Implantation

Abstract

Silicon oxide films ( > 1μm ) were grown at room-temperature after low-energy copper-ion implantation of Si(100) substrates. The structural properties of the silicon oxide layer and the implanted silicon were characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and transmission-electron microscopy. During room temperature oxidation a portion of the implanted copper resided on the surface and a portion moved with the advancing Si/SiOx interface. This study revealed that the oxide growth rate was dependent on the amount of Cu present at the moving interface. The resulting oxide formed was approximately stoichiometric silicon dioxide.