Dry Ex Situ Cleaning Processes for  ( 0001 ) Si 6H‐SiC Surfaces

Contributors:   Sean W. King, Robert J. Nemanich, and Robert F. Davis

ABSTRACT

A completely dry ex situ cleaning process based on oxidation and HF vapor exposure for removal of residual C and oxide, respectively, from [the silicon‐terminated surface of SiC] 6H‐SiC surfaces to levels equivalent to or better than conventional wet chemical ex situ processing has been demonstrated. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of surfaces exposed to UV‐generated ozone revealed the formation of carbon and silicon oxides, as indicated by the broad Si‐O Si 2p peak at 102.4 eV (full width at half‐maximum = 2.1 eV) and a shift in the surface C 1s peak from 283.6 to 284.2 eV, respectively. Evidence for a reduction in the amount of surface C was shown by an increase in the ratio of the SiC C peak to the surface C peak from 0.8 to 2.7 after the treatment. Removal of the silicon oxide via exposure to the vapor from a 10:1 buffered HF solution was indicated by the absence (below the XPS detection limit) of the Si‐O Si 2p peak at 102.4 eV. However, this last process results in a F‐terminated surface.

Publisher: Journal of the Electrochemical Society,   Volume: 146,   Published: 1999-01 ||   PDF (338.86 KB) ||   Read more...