Silicon/Electrolyte Interface - Electrochemistry of Silicon and Its Oxide - page 65

There is very little growth up to about 200 min after which the growth rate increases
significantly. The S-shaped curve in Fig. 2.17 is attributed to a layer-by-layer growth
of the oxide with 5.4 to 7.6 Å corresponding to two layers of native oxide.
The growth mechanism of native oxide film, several angstroms in thickness, at
room temperature differs from that of the thicker oxide formed by thermal oxidation. 554
According to Grundner and Jacob, 906 oxide growth differs for hydrophilic and

hydrophobic surfaces. The oxide on hydrophilic surfaces mainly grows in the cleaning
through all stages of growth. On a hydrophobic
surface, however, the oxidation begins with formation of a lower oxidation state, which
is transformed into during storage in air.
The substrate condition plays an important role in the growth of native oxide on
silicon. The growth rate of native oxide films is similar for lowly and moderately doped
silicon substrates. 325 An increased growth rate is observed with high dopant concentra-
tion

media and consists of hydrated

-type silicon substrates. Figure 2.17 shows that for n
type, the oxide grows faster on heavily doped substrates. 579 In addition, it shows that

on both n- and p