hide
Free keywords:
FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTORS; OXIDE-GROWTH; FUNCTIONALIZATION; PASSIVATION;
SURFACES; THINScience & Technology - Other Topics; Materials Science; Physics; Silicon nanowires; Oxidation; Kinetics; Activation energy;
Abstract:
Oxidation of silicon nanowires (Si NWs) is an undesirable phenomenon that has a detrimental effect on their electronic properties. To prevent oxidation of Si NWs, a deeper understanding of the oxidation reaction kinetics is necessary. In the current work, we study the oxidation kinetics of hydrogen-terminated Si NWs (H-Si NWs) as the starting surfaces for molecular functionalization of Si surfaces. H-Si NWs of 85-nm average diameter were annealed at various temperatures from 50A degrees C to 400A degrees C, in short-time spans ranging from 5 to 60 min. At high temperatures (T a parts per thousand yen 200A degrees C), oxidation was found to be dominated by the oxide growth site formation (made up of silicon suboxides) and subsequent silicon oxide self-limitation. Si-Si backbond oxidation and Si-H surface bond propagation dominated the process at lower temperatures (T < 200 degrees C).
