Theory of thermal Si oxide growth rate taking into account interfacial Si emission effects

A novel theory for the thermal silicon oxide growth rate is constructed based on a new picture of the oxidation process and its efficiency is theoretically discussed on the basis of both analytical and numerical approaches. In the picture, silicons are massively emitted from the oxide/silicon interface into the oxide during the growth process to release the large strain caused by a volume expansion from silicon to oxide at the interface. The flow of the emitted silicons controls the oxidation reaction rate at the interface as well as the flow of the oxidant. Our picture can consistently explain faults in the classical Deal-Grove picture, such as the failure to explain the initial enhanced oxidation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.