Surface modifications of silicon induced by low energy reactive ion bombardment

The effects of low energy reactive ion bombardment of semiconducting silicon material have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The residual surface damage induced by a conventional fluorocarbon plasma reactive ion etching of silicon consisted of a uniform fluorocarbon deposited film approximately 4nm in thickness which covered a silicon compound reaction layer. This reaction layer was comprised of silicon oxides, carbide and fluorosilyl species distributed in depth to approximately 2nm. The removal of the residuel surface damage was accomplished by an ozone oxidation plus a wet oxide chemical etching step processing and monitored by surface charge spectroscopy. This residual surface damage to silicon was simulated by mass-filtered reactive F...