Effect of SC1 Process on Silicon Surface Microroughness and Oxide Breakdown Characteristics

Abstract

Surface microroughness and its effects on dielectric breakdown characteristics have been investigated for silicon wafers treated in SC1-based solutions. Surface microroughness was quantified using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and phase shift interferometry (PSI). In contrast to previous reports that SC1 treatment caused undulation of the surface, our observation showed a nominal amount of deterioration. Even prolonged dipping in a solution with high etching rate did not roughen the surface, and the dielectric breakdown characteristics were not affected.

Surface States and Recombination Loss on Wet-Chemically Passivated Si Studied by Surface Photovoltage (SPV) and Photoluminescence (PL)

“…Most of the conventional cleaning methods, as developed decades ago, are known to result in a high surface roughness and/or in contamination by native oxides [8,9,10]. Various wet-chemical methods for ultra-clean processing have therefore been developed to produce microscopically smooth and H-terminated Si(111) surfaces [11,12,13,14].…”