Characterization of crystallographic defects in thermally oxidized SIMOX materials

Crystallographic defects present in thermally oxidized SIMOX (separation by implanted oxygen) materials have been characterized by means of plan view transmission electron microscopy (PVTEM) and defect etching studies. It has been observed that oxidation induced stacking faults (OISF) are formed in the silicon overlayer of SIMOX substrates during thermal oxidations at temperatures varying from 900 to 110 °C. In this range of temperature, the OISF length increases continuously with time and temperature while the OISF density shows a decrease with oxidation temperature. It has also been observed that at temperatures of 1275 °C and higher no OISFs are formed in the silicon overlayer of SIMOX substrates. This behaviour may be explained by a decrease in the flux of interstitials emitted during oxidation due to visco-elastic deformation of the thermal oxide at high temperatures.