Enhanced oxidation of Si using low-temperature oxidation catalyst SrTi_1-xMgxO₃%

We newly propose the use of functional oxide to produce O∗radicals in an oxidation furnace for the application to oxidation of semiconductor at low temperatures. SrTi_1-xMgxO₃%is prepared and placed together with a Si wafer in an electric furnace to perform oxidation of Si in flowing O2 under the atmospheric pressure. X-ray diffraction and gas desorption analyses show that SrTi_1-xMgxO₃% contains oxygen vacancies and emits atomic oxygen at temperatures above 400 °C. Growth rate of SiO₂ at the Si surface is shown to be increased by placing SrTi_1-xMgxO₃% with Si and the rate increases with increasing the composition x of the oxide. It is also shown that the activation energies of the linear and parabolic rate constants in the Deal-Grove oxidation model is reduced by using SrTi_1-xMgxO₃% oxidation catalyst.