Wet oxidation behaviors of polycrystalline Si1-xGex films

We investigated the oxidation behaviors of poly Si1-xGex films with a 15% a nd 42% Ge content. The films were deposited using ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition on a 1000 A thick thermal SiO2 layer, and were oxidized u sing a conventional furnace in wet oxygen ambient at 700 and 800 degreesC. The physical and chemical properties of the oxide were analyzed by using Ru therford backscattering spectrometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy before and after the oxid ation. We observed that the Ge content in the oxide layer and oxidation rat e increased with the increase of Ge content in poly Si1-xGex films. We also observed that Ge content in the oxide layer decreased with the increase of oxidation temperature. (C) 2001 American Vacuum Society.