Growth of buried silicon oxide in Si-Si bonded wafers upon annealing

Properties of the buried silicon oxide layer in Si-Si bonded wafers upon an nealing were studied using Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and high resolution t ransmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). IR spectra of chemically etched Si -Si bonded wafers allow the thickness of the buried oxide layers to be eval uated. The increasing thickness of the buried oxide layer with annealing te mperature is determined via a curve fitting procedure of IR spectra measure d in the spectral range of longitudinal optical and transversal optical pho nons in silicon oxide. The behavior observed is in very good agreement with that obtained from HRTEM measurements. (C) 2001 American Institute of Phys ics.