Electrical characteristics of the rf-excited oxygen plasma-cathodization-grown SiO2/Si interface

The electrical properties of the SiO₂/n-type Si(100) interface, where the silicon-oxide layer was grown by an electrodeless rf oxygen-plasma-cathodization technique, were investigated usingC-V and DLTS methods. Interface traps with high density in the range of 10¹² eV^–1 cm^–2 and a capture cross section as large as 10^–18 cm² were found in the upper region of the silicon forbidden gap. After a post-annealing process, typically at 400°C for 30 min in dry N₂ atmosphere, their densities and capture cross sections were reduced to the range of 1–2 × 10¹¹ eV^–1 cm^–2 and 10^–19 cm^–2, respectively. Apparant differences in DLTS curves before and after thermal annealing were also observed. Results are qualitatively explained by considering the specific oxidation and annealing mechanism of this low-temperature silicon-oxidation technique.