Morphological and compositional changes in the SiO2/SiC interface region induced by oxide thermal growth -: art. no. 041901

Changes in morphology and composition of interfacial regions of thermally grown SiO2 films on SiC in dry O-2 induced by reoxidations were investigated using atomic force microscopy and oxygen profiling. The gradual oxygen profile near the interface in oxides grown at 1100 degrees C evidences a transition region between SiO2 and SiC. Reoxidation at 950 degrees C leads to a decrease of the transition region thickness, while reoxidation at 1100 degrees C increases the transition region thickness. These results are discussed in terms of the role played by the reoxidation temperature on the formation and consumption of carbon compounds in the SiO2/SiC interface region. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.