Elimination of sub-oxide transition regions at Si-SiO, interfaces by rapid thermal annealing at 900°C

In many spectroscopic studies, particularly by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XPS, it has been generally assumed that the existence of sub-oxide transition regions at Si-SiO, interfaces were not strongly dependent on synthesis chemistries and processing conditions. This paper presents experimental evidence for a kinetically-limited phase transition at Si-SiO, interfaces at approximately 900°C that can minimize and to a large degree eliminate significant interfacial sub-oxide transition regions. The paper emphasizes a connection between (i) differences in photoluminescence from SiO, bulk films before and after 900°C annealing and (ii) differences in electrical performance of Si-SiO, interfaces and optical second harmonic generation from Si-SiO, interfaces, also before and after 900°C annealing