The thermal‐oxidation kinetics of silicon are examined in detail. Based on a simple model of oxidation which takes into account the reactions occurring at the two boundaries of the oxide layer as well as the diffusion process, the general relationship x02+Ax0=B(t+τ) is derived. This relationship is shown to be in excellent agreement with oxidation data obtained over a wide range of temperature (700°–1300°C), partial pressure (0.1–1.0 atm) and oxide thickness (300–20 000 Å) for both oxygen and water oxidants. The parameters A, B, and τ are shown to be related to the physico‐chemical constants of the oxidation reaction in the predicted manner. Such detailed analysis also leads to further information regarding the nature of the transported species as well as space‐charge effects on the initial phase of oxidation.

1.
J. T.
Law
,
J. Phys. Chem.
61
,
1200
(
1957
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
2.
M. M. Atalla, Properties of Elemental and Compound Semiconductors, edited by H. Gatos (Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, 1960), Vol. 5, pp. 163–181.
3.
J. R.
Ligenza
 and
W. G.
Spitzer
,
J. Phys. Chem. Solids
14
,
131
(
1960
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
4.
J. R.
Ligenza
,
J. Phys. Chem.
65
,
2011
(
1961
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
5.
W. G.
Spitzer
 and
J. R.
Ligenza
,
J. Phys. Chem. Solids
17
,
196
(
1961
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
6.
M. O. Thurston, J. C. C. Tsai, and K. D. Kang, “Diffusion of Impurities into Silicon Through an Oxide Layer,” Report 896‐Final, Ohio State University, Research Foundation, U.S. Army Signal Supply Agency Contract DA‐36‐039‐SC‐83874, March 1961.
7.
P. S. Flint, “The Rates of Oxidation of Silicon,” Paper presented at the Spring Meeting of The Electrochemical Society, Abstract No. 94, Los Angeles, 6–10 May 1962.
8.
P. J.
Jorgensen
,
J. Chem. Phys.
37
,
874
(
1962
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
9.
J. R.
Ligenza
,
J. Electrochem. Soc.
109
,
73
(
1962
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
10.
B. E.
Deal
,
J. Electrochem. Soc.
110
,
527
(
1963
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
11.
H.
Edagawa
,
Y.
Morita
,
S.
Maekawa
, and
Y.
Inuishi
,
J. Appl. Phys. (Japan)
2
,
765
(
1963
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
12.
N.
Karube
,
K.
Yamamoto
, and
M.
Kamiyama
,
J. Appl. Phys. (Japan)
2
,
11
(
1963
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
13.
H. C.
Evitts
,
H. W.
Cooper
, and
S. S.
Flaschen
,
J. Electrochem. Soc.
111
,
688
(
1964
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
14.
C. R. Fuller and F. J. Strieter, “Silicon Oxidation,” Paper presented at the Spring Meeting of The Electrochemical Society Abstract No. 74, Toronto, 3–7 May 1964.
15.
B. E.
Deal
 and
M.
Sklar
,
J. Electrochem. Soc.
112
,
430
(
1965
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
16.
N.
Cabrera
 and
N. F.
Mott
,
Rept. Progr. Phys.
12
,
163
(
1948
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
17.
W. A.
Pliskin
 and
R. P.
Gnall
,
J. Electrochem. Soc.
111
,
872
(
1964
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
18.
J.
Bardeen
,
W. H.
Brattain
, and
W.
Shockley
,
J. Chem. Phys.
14
,
714
(
1946
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
19.
U. R.
Evans
,
Trans. Electrochem. Soc.
46
,
247
(
1924
).
Google Scholar
 
20.
U. R. Evans, The Corrosion and Oxidation of Metals (Edward Arnold and Company, London, 1960), pp. 819–859.
21.
F. J.
Norton
,
Nature
171
,
701
(
1961
).
Google Scholar
 
22.
A. J.
Moulson
 and
J. P.
Roberts
,
Trans. Faraday Soc.
57
,
1208
(
1961
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
23.
H. Schlichting, Boundary Layer Theory (McGraw‐Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 1960), 4th ed., Chap. 14;
and R. B. Bird, W. E. Stewart, and E. N. Lightfoot, Transport Phenomena (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1960), Paragraph 21.2.
24.
L. Pauling, The Nature of the Chemical Bond (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, 1960), 3rd ed.
25.
See abstracts of “Recent News” papers describing work of E. Yon, A. B. Kuper, and W. H. Ko, and of H. G. Carlson, C. R. Fuller, and J. Osborne, in J. Electrochem. Soc. 112, 259C (1965).
26.
A. T.
Fromhold
, Jr.,
J. Phys. Chem. Solids
24
,
1081
(
1963
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
This content is only available via PDF.
© 1965 The American Institute of Physics.
1965
The American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.