Properties and reliability of ultrathin oxides grown on four inch diameter silicon wafers by microwave plasma afterglow oxidation

We have successfully grown ultrathin oxides on large area of sillicon wafers by the microwave plasma afterglow oxidation method. Analysis of the Fourier transform infrared spectra indicates that the general bonding strucures of the ultrathin oxides grown by microwave plasma afterglow oxidation at 700 °C could be identical to those grown by dry O₂ thermal oxidation. Electrical property measurements (e.g., time-zero dielectric breakdown and time-dependent dielectric breakdown) are also investigated. Based on our results, we conclude that microwave plasma aferglow oxidation is a useful method for the perparation of large area ultrathin oxide films on silicon substrates.