EFFECT OF INCORPORATED NITROGEN ON THE KINETICS OF THIN RAPID THERMALN2O OXIDES

We have grown similar to 10 nm O-2 and N2O-oxides on Si(100) by RTO (r apid thermal oxidation) over the temperature range 800-1200 degrees C. Although the growth rates of both oxides exhibit Arrhenius behavior o ver the entire temperature range, the N2O-oxides exhibit a large chang e in the Arrhenius preexponential factor for oxidation temperatures gr eater than 1000 degrees C. Above this temperature, N2O-oxides grow a f actor of 5 slower than O-2 oxides. Below this temperature, N2O-oxide g rowth rates approach those of O-2-oxides. This growth rate inflection can be explained in terms of N incorporation, which increases with inc reasing oxidation temperature. The equivalent of one monolayer of N co verage is achieved at about 1000 degrees C, coincident with the inflec tion. The incorporated N retards the Linear growth of the thin N2O-oxi des either by occupying oxidation reaction sites or inhibiting transpo rt of oxidant species to the vicinity of the interface. (C) 1995 Ameri can Institute of Physics.