AES AND XPS STUDIES OF SEMI-INSULATING POLYCRYSTALLINE SILICON (SIPOS) LAYERS

Quantitative Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to characterize semi-insulating polycrystalline silicon (SIPOS) layers grown from a mixture of SiH4 and N2O by chemical vapor deposition. Various values of γ (volumetric ratio of N2O to SiH4 in the deposition gas stream) were used to produce layers with a wide range of oxygen content. Oxygen concentration values determined by AES and XPS as a function of γ were found to be in reasonable agreement with values determined by electron probe microanalysis. Analyses of the Si 2p binding energy spectra indicate the presence of elemental silicon as well as silicon oxides, predominantly Si2O and Si2O3. Ion sputtering of the SIPOS layers was shown to modify the surface composition from that of the unsputtered surface. © 1979, The Electrochemical Society, Inc. All rights reserved.