Native Oxide Growth on Silicon Surface in Ultrapure Water and Hydrogen Peroxide

The effects of n-type dopant (P, As) concentration in silicon (100), temperature, and oxidizing species on native oxide growth in liquid water are described. The oxide growth on phosphorus (P)- and arsenic (As)-doped n+-Si surfaces (1020 cm-3) in ultrapure water exhibits saturation of oxide thickness, suggesting a field-assisted mechanism. Oxide thickness saturation was also found on n-Si in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution or in H2O2 solution in the presence of a platinum (Pt) mesh that creates oxidizing radicals or ions. The oxide growth rate in ultrapure water increases with an increase of temperature.