Initial stages of the interaction of nitrous oxide and oxygen with the (100) silicon surface under low pressures

The kinetics of the interaction of oxygen and nitrous oxide with the (100) silicon surface within the temperature range 20–830°C has been studied. At temperatures between 20 and 600°C, irreversible supermonolayer gas chemisorption occurs. At temperatures between 700 and 830°C, the character of the interaction of N₂O and O₂ with the silicon surface is determined by the ratio of the oxidizer pressure and the surface temperature of the sample. This results in either etching of the sample surface with relief formation or growth of a silicon dioxide layer on the surface. Reversible adsorption of the oxidizer molecules on the initially formed oxide layer experimentally observed here for the first time plays a key role in the mechanism of SiO₂ formation.