Surface stress in thin oxide layer made by plasma oxidation with applying positive bias

The time evolution of the surface stress during plasma oxidation of Si 100.at a very early stage oxide thickness -5 nm. has been studied, using a Si micromechanical cantilever. The effect of positive bias voltage applied to samples was examined. Three different stages of stress evolution are observed during the first 1000 s. The initial compressive stress is found to be caused by excess electron influx onto the sample surface from the plasma. The following tensile and compressive stresses can be explained in terms of the oxide structure. q2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved