Low temperature catalytic formation of Si-based metal–oxide–semiconductor structure

Si-based metal–oxide–semiconductor structure is formed at temperatures as low as 300 °C using the catalytic activity of the platinum (Pt) layer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron micrography measurements show that heat treatments of the ∼5 nm-Pt/∼1 nm-chemical oxide/Si(100)〉 devices at 300 °C increase the thickness of the oxide layer to 4–4.5 nm and the oxide layer is present between the Pt layer and the Si substrate, but not on the Pt surface. It is found that the thin chemical oxide layer effectively prevents the Pt diffusion and the silicide formation during the heat treatments. Heat treatments in dry- and wet-oxygen result in nearly the same oxide thickness. Oxygen atoms (or oxygen ions) produced at the Pt surface are suggested to be a diffusing species through the Pt and silicon oxide layers.