Reactions and diffusion during annealing-induced H+ generation in SOI buried oxides

We report experimental results suggesting that mobile protons are generated at strained Si-O-Si bonds near the Si/SiO2 interface during annealing in f orming gas. Our data further suggest that the presence of the top Si layer plays a crucial role in the mobile H+ generation process. Finally, we show that the diffusion of the reactive species (presumably H-2 or H-0) towards the H+ generation sites occurs laterally along the buried oxide layer, and can be impeded significantly due to the presence of trapping sites in the b uried oxide.