Octahedral-structured gigantic precipitates as the origin of gate-oxide defects in metal-oxide-semiconductor large-scale-integrated circuits

Analysis by TEM-energy-dispersive-X-ray-spectroscopy indicates that the majority of the octahedral structure found just under the oxide defect with Czochralski Si is void. This is contrary to previously reported results suggesting that the octahedral structures found in Si bulk are filled with amorphous SiO 2 . We investigate three models to explain our results. The first model, which we think most probable, suggests that the void formation occurs during Si crystal growth. The second model indicates that octahedral structures full of SiO 2 are formed during Si crystal growth and, after wafer slicing, much of the SiO 2 is removed. The third model suggests that the void is formed during copper decoration. We show some experimental results that are inconsistent with the second and third models.