Uniaxial and biaxial strain field dependence of the thermal oxidation rateof silicon

We have investigated the effect of homogenous uniaxial and biaxial strains on the thermal oxidation processes of Si with newly developed techniques. X -ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ellipsometry measurements have re vealed that the biaxial compressive strain suppresses the oxidation rate at temperatures lower than 800 degreesC, while the uniaxial strain does not a ffect the oxidation rate. It has been also found that stress during the the rmal oxidation does not cause any change in the electronic states of the ox ide which are characterized by XPS and x-ray absorption near edge structure . (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.