Radical oxygen (O/sup */) process for highly-reliable SiO/sub 2/ with higher film-density and smoother SiO/sub 2//Si interface

It has been clarified that the radical oxidation with the oxygen remote plasma improves the electrical reliability of the SiO/sub 2/ films, compared with the dry oxidation. By TEM observation and X-ray-scattering-reflectivity spectroscopy it was demonstrated that, in the radical oxides, planarization of the SiO/sub 2//Si[100] interface and densification of the SiO/sub 2/ films due to repairing of the SiO/sub 2/ network were realized, compared with those in the dry oxides. Moreover, it was also found that the radical oxidation can realize a reliable SiO/sub 2/ in the lower oxidation temperatures even down to 700/spl deg/C.