Theoretical study, simulation & fabrication of Dry Oxidation in terms of SiO2 layer thickness, resistivity & surface roughness

Abstract

Oxidation is a process used in wafer fabrication. The goal of oxidation is to grow a high quality oxide layer on a silicon substrate. During oxidation a chemical reaction between the oxidants and the silicon atoms produces a layer of oxide on the silicon surface of the wafer. It is often the first step in wafer fabrication and will be repeated multiple times throughout the fabrication process. Oxidation takes place in an oxidation tube. During the reaction silicon reacts with oxidants to form silicon oxide layers. Typical operating temperature is between 900°C and 1,200°C. The oxide growth rate increases with temperature. In microfabrication, thermal oxidation is a way to produce a thin layer of oxide(usually silicon dioxide) on the surface of a wafer (semiconductor). The technique forces an oxidizing agent to diffuse into the wafer at high temperature and react with it. The rate of oxide growth is often predicted by the Deal-Grove model. Thermal oxidation may be applied to different materials, but this project will only consider oxidation of silicon substrates to produce silicon dioxide.