Seishiro Yoshioka

Competing processes of Si molecular beam reactive etching and simultaneous deposition on film and bulk SiO2

The Si molecular beam reactive etching of thick thermally grown SiO2 and bulk SiO2 has been studied. In situ observations by Auger electron spectroscopy and reflection high energy electron diffraction reveal that Si films grow epitaxially on Si (100) substrates at 1000 °C after removal of 0.5 μm thermally grown SiO2 by a Si molecular beam. It is found that simultaneous deposition of polycrystalline Si films containing many oxygen atoms occurs on etched SiO2 at 900 °C. Surface morphology of the etched bulk SiO2 and the Si over layers caused by simultaneous deposition is observed by scanning electron microscopy.