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Nonlinear silicon oxide growth patterns in a gold-silicon system

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Abstract

Oxide films are grown on a silicon wafer at low temperatures through the catalytic action of a thin gold film. Our results indicate that the oxide film thickness and morphology vary with the initial gold film thickness but do not significantly depend on the temperature. A Fourier analysis of the film structure suggests that the growth mechanism may include a spinodal decomposition where a binary alloy undergoes a phase separation. It is argued that gold silicide is the most likely candidate for spinodal decomposition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. L.I.S.E., Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix, B-5000, Namur, Belgique, USA

    Gervais Leclerc

  2. Centre de recherche en microélectronique, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, boul. Université, J1K 2R1, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

    Louis Paquin & Fabrice Baratay

Authors
  1. Gervais Leclerc
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  2. Louis Paquin
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  3. Fabrice Baratay
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Leclerc, G., Paquin, L. & Baratay, F. Nonlinear silicon oxide growth patterns in a gold-silicon system. Journal of Materials Research 7, 2458–2464 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1992.2458

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1992.2458

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