Reoxidation behavior of high-nitrogen oxynitride films after O(2) and N(2)O treatment

Abstract

Reoxidation of a high-nitrogen ultrathin oxynitride (similar to 1.3nm) has been studied. The reoxidation is conducted using an alternation of nitrous oxide and oxygen gas in rapid thermal oxidation (RTO). The new finding in this study is the zig-zag characteristic of the oxidation rate by O(2) and N(2)O. It is clear that the N(2)O oxidation rate is almost independent of the concentration of nitrogen in oxynitride through out the rapid thermal oxidation process, but the O2 oxidation rate is not.