C. Onneby et Cg. Pantano, SILICON OXYCARBIDE FORMATION ON SIC SURFACES AND AT THE SIC SIO2 INTERFACE/, Journal of vacuum science & technology. A. Vacuum, surfaces, and films, 15(3), 1997, pp. 1597-1602
Citations number
18
Categorie Soggetti
Physics, Applied","Materials Science, Coatings & Films
Amorphous and single-crystal alpha-SiC were exposed to various oxygen
sources at room temperature. The oxygen sources included the residual
gas in an ultrahigh vacuum environment, ambient air, ozone, and oxygen
plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to follow cha
nges in the surface composition and to determine the local bonding env
ironment of the Si atoms. It was found that silicon oxycarbide species
are formed when these SiC materials are initially exposed to oxygen.
With extended exposure to ambient air, a SiO2 layer is subsequently fo
rmed over the silicon oxycarbide. However, the native oxide on the sin
gle-crystal SiC consists mainly of silicon oxycarbide species. The thi
cknesses of these native oxides were calculated using the XPS data. (C
) 1997 American Vacuum Society.