Chemical and Structural Aspects of the Irradiation Behavior of SiO2 Films on Silicon

Similarly to vitreous silica, irradiation of Sio2 films on silicon releases bond strain by creating network defects and a small increase in density and a decrease in polarizability. In contrast, the density of quartz crystal decreases and its polarizability increases during irradiation. These effects are due to the basic trend of maximizing π-bonding and minimizing bond strain in the Si-O network. From the irradiation-generated electron-hole pairs, the holes are trapped in narrow and localized π-bands at ~0.4 eV above the SiO2 valence band while the electrons move rather freely. This hole trapping is an intrinsic property of the Si-O bond. Hole trapping also occurs at the Si/SiO2 interface where interface states are generated. It is suggested that this process involves breaking surface Si-H bonds. Results obtained with various analytical techniques demonstrate that hydrogen present in various forms in the oxide film plays a crucial and complex role in the irradiation behavior of Si/SiO2 interface structures.