Silicon oxidation studies: A revised model for thermal oxidation

Abstract

A number of recent experimental silicon oxidation studies has suggested that the present form of the linear-parabolic oxidation model is inadequate in explaining the results. However, the best available oxidation data are linear-parabolic in shape. The present study relieves this dilemma by revising the linear-parabolic model. The revisions are essentially twofold: a new transport flux, viz., transport in micropores is invoked and the viscoelastic properties of SiO2 are utilized. A revised linear-parabolic model is obtained which better explains high and low temperature oxidation behavior, the formation higher density SiO2, and the initial oxidation regime.