Atomic layer controlled growth of SiO2 films using binary reaction sequence chemistry

SiO2 thin films were deposited with atomic layer control using binary reaction sequence chemistry. The SiO2 growth was accomplished by separating the binary reaction SiCl4+2H(2)O-->SiO2+4HCl into two half-reactions. Successive application of the half-reactions in an ABAB... sequence produced SiO2 deposition at temperatures between 600 and 800 K and reactant pressures of I-LO Torr. The SiO2 growth was monitored using ellipsometry versus substrate temperature and reactant exposure time. The maximum SiO2 deposition per AB cycle was 1.1 Angstrom/AB cycle at 600 K. The surface topography measured using atomic force microscopy was extremely flat with a roughness nearly identical to the initial substrate. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.