AVS 49th International Symposium
    Thin Films Thursday Sessions
       Session TF-ThA

Paper TF-ThA1
Oxidation of InP, Si and SiC Surfaces

Thursday, November 7, 2002, 2:00 pm, Room C-101

Session: Ultra Thin Films
Presenter: Y.J. Chabal, Agere Systems
Authors: Y.J. Chabal, Agere Systems
O. Pluchery, Agere Systems
F. Amy, Agere Systems
M. Frank, Agere Systems
K. Raghavachari, Agere Systems
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Passivation of semiconductor surfaces by thermal oxidation or low temperature oxide deposition is critical for both microelectronics (e.g. gate oxides on Si) and optoelectronics (e.g. epi-growth and wet chemistry of InP-based laser structures). Yet, the amorphous or microcrystallline nature of most oxides has made it difficult to understand and therefore to control oxide growth and composition. We have developed in situ infrared (IR) absorption methods to characterize ultra-thin oxides and to understand their growth in various environments (vacuum, gas ambient, and solution.@footnote 1@) In this talk, we contrast the multiphase and layered nature of a variety of oxides (native, wet-chemical, plasma and anodic) grown on InP(100) surfaces to the much simpler stoichiometric SiO@sub 2@ films on silicon, and investigate oxide regrowth on acid-etched oxide-free InP surfaces. We also highlight the role of dangling bonds and strain on molecular oxygen dissociation and incorporation into Si(100)-(2x1), 4H-SiC(0001)-(3x3)@footnote 2@ and 3C-SiC(100)-(3x2) surfaces. Finally, we discuss the role that hydrogen plays during the growth of ultra-thin oxides, and its ability to passivate (or create) interfacial defects. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ O. Pluchery, J. Eng Jr., R. L. Opila, Y. J. Chabal, Surf. Sci. (April 2002).@footnote 2@ F. Amy et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 4342 (2001).