Scanning tunneling microscopy investigation of the microtopography of SiO2 and Si surfaces at the Si/SiO2 interface in SIMOX structures

The microtopography of silicon and silicon oxide surfaces in SIMOX structures is investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. A method of using scanning tunneling microscopy to study Si/SiO₂ interfacial roughness is developed for this purpose. It is shown that the relief of the silicon surface in SIMOX structures is smoother than that of the oxide surface. The observed Si/SiO₂ interfacial roughness is due to oxygen ion implantation in the silicon single crystal. The roughness of the SiO₂ and Si surfaces at the Si/SiO₂ interface is compared for the standard and high-temperature oxidation of the silicon single crystal. Fiz. Tekh. Poluprovodn. 33, 708–711 (June 1999)