Paramagnetic Pb-type interface defects in thermal (110)Si/SiO2

A multifrequency electron spin resonance (ESR) study on thermal (110)Si/SiO2 as a function of oxidation temperature T-ox(200-1125 degrees C) reveals an unexpectedly high density of P-b-type interface centers, which variant, based on pertinent ESR properties, is typified as P-b0((110)). In terms of P-b(0) center density, the (110) face is found to be the worst of all three low index Si interfaces, i.e., [P-b0((100))]<[P-b((111))]<[P-b0((110))], over the range T-ox < similar to 900 degrees C. Unlike previous belief, the density of prevailing P-b(0) centers over the low index Si/SiO2 interfaces is not found to scale with Si surface areal atom density nor available Si bond density; an alternative criterion is suggested. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3590271]