Influence of the rapid thermal annealing in vacuum on the XPS characteristics of thin SiO2

The effect of rapid thermal annealing (1073–1473 K) in vacuum on thin (11 nm) thermal SiO2 layers on Si has been studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that the RTA slightly affects the properties of the SiSiO2 system up to a temperature of 1473 K and the effect is in the direction of obtaining a more perfect oxide structure. The stoichiometry of the layer, however, at the surface as well as in the bulk is not influenced by the annealing. The analysis of the data also shows that the spontaneous decomposition of the oxide and the pinholes formation most likely take place during the annealing at 1473 K. The results seem to rule out the formation of suboxides at this temperature.