SiO2 SURFACE AND SiO2/Si INTERFACE TOPOGRAPHY CHANGE BY THERMAL OXIDATION

Using a wide atomically flat (111) Si surface, the topography change of SiO2 surface and SiO2/Si interface by thermal oxidation was investigated for various oxidation temperatures. The initial step/terrace configuration was preserved on the SiO2 surface irrespective of oxidation temperature. On the other hand, the general step/terrace configuration of the initial Si surface was succeeded by the SiO2/Si interface at < 950 C, while at > 1050 C, the configuration was destroyed at the SiO2/Si interface with increasing oxide thickness until the steps finally disappeared. Terrace surfaces, however, were steeply microscopically roughened in the initial oxidation range irrespective of the oxidation temperature. 24 refs.