Formation of buried oxide layers by high dose implantation of oxygen ions in silicon

Buried implanted oxide layers have been formed by high dose implantation of oxygen ions of the order of 1 × l0¹⁸−2 in silicon. The effects of dose at a given energy, and energy for a given peak concentration, on the distribution profile of oxygen have been studied. An approximately Gaussian distribution is observed at doses contributing less than the stoichiometric requirement of oxygen for the formation of silicon dioxide. A saturation in the oxygen peak concentration is reached when the stoichiometric requirement is exceeded. The excess implanted oxygen results in a broadening of the stoichiometric implanted oxide layer. A consequent reduction in the interface damage is observed. Other parameters being equal, at higher substrate temperatures the interface damage is decreased. For a given peak concentration, the implanted oxide is buried more deeply with increasing ion energy. Infra-red absorption characteristics of the implanted oxide are almost identical to those of thermal oxide layers grown in a dry oxygen ambient. The implanted oxide layer exhibits also an extremely high resistivity compared to the substrate material. Department of Electronics, University of Kent,Canterbury,Kent,U.K.