Carbon Ejection from a SiO2/SiC(0001) Interface by Annealing in High-Purity Ar

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that high-purity argon annealing can decompose and eject carbon byproducts from the SiO2/SiC(0001) interface, with the process influenced by prior oxide formation conditions, and shows phosphorus treatment reduces interface defects.

Contribution

It provides new evidence of carbon-byproducts at the SiO2/SiC interface and shows phosphorus treatment effectively removes these byproducts, reducing defects.

Findings

Carbon byproducts can be ejected by Ar annealing.

Ejection depends on oxide formation conditions.

Phosphorus treatment reduces interface defects.

Abstract

We found that carbon-associated byproducts formed at the dry-oxidized SiO2/SiC(0001) interface could be decomposed and be taken out to the SiO2 side by high-purity Ar annealing. We evaluated the concentration of the ejected carbon atoms in the SiO2 by secondary ion mass spectrometry, and discovered that it clearly depends on the condition of oxide formation (dry-oxidation, nitridation treatment, and phosphorus treatment). This work provides an indirect but unambiguous evidence for the carbon-byproducts existing at the SiO2/SiC interfaces, and also indicates that the phosphorus treatment removes the carbon-byproducts, leading to significant reduction of interface defects.