Reaction pathways for nitrided Si-SiO/sub 2/ interfaces by remote plasma assisted oxidation

Summary form only given. Nitrided Si-SiO/sub 2/ interfaces have been prepared by a 300/spl deg/C remote plasma assisted oxidation (RPAO) process. The process uses excited species created by rf plasma excitation of He/N/sub 2/O gas mixtures. Flow rates of He and N/sub 2/O through a 1 inch plasma tube are 200 sccm and 20 sccm; rf plasma power at 13.56 Mhz is 15 W. Plasma activated species have been monitored by in-situ optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and mass spectrometry (MS). The active species for nitrogen incorporation at the growth interfaces is NO+ as identified by MS. Interface formation process is a two step microscopic process in which NO+ species react initially with the Si substrate and produce Si surface nitridation. The Si-N surface bond is attacked by metastable species produced concurrently with NO+ resulting in N-atom removal and oxide growth. This is followed by N-atom reinsertion "underneath" the growing oxide film.