Effect of crystal orientation on plasma-grown oxides of silicon

The effects of silicon crystal orientation on the rate of growth and oxide charge of layers grown in a plasma of oxygen with and without chlorine in the gas stream are described. It is shown that plasma oxide growth rate in the initial linear region is orientation-independent and is not, therefore, surface-reaction-rate-limited as with thermal oxidation. Strong orientation effects are seen, however, in the oxide charge, the results being qualitatively similar to those associated with thermal oxidation. The (111) surface is found to have higher oxide charge levels than (100).