M. Mayusumi et al., Morphology of silicon oxide film on silicon wafer surface during its removal process in a hydrogen ambient, JPN J A P 1, 40(11), 2001, pp. 6556-6560
In order to develop the low-temperature silicon epitaxial growth process. t
he change in the surface morphology of the silicon dioxide film and the sil
icon surface is studied in a transient state, for the first time. at 1223 K
at a pressure of 40-101 kPa in a hydrogen ambient. A very smooth and clear
silicon substrate surface is achieved using a uniform silicon dioxide film
formed using ozonated ultrapure water and a very low flow rate of hydrogen
gas. The surface morphology of the silicon substrate finally becomes smoot
h and the pit formation is suppressed, although the surface shows a nonunif
orm island appearance during the removal of the silicon dioxide film. The m
icroroughness of the silicon substrate surface is improved by heating in a
hydrogen ambient and by the silicon epitaxial film growth after complete re
moval of the ozone oxide film.