Stacking-fault-induced defect creation in SiO₂ on Si(100)

Decomposition of SiO2 films on Si(100) during ultrahigh-vacuum anneal has been shown previously to be preceded, at low anneal temperatures, by electrical defect creation in metal-oxide-semiconductor structures. In this letter, the presence of stacking faults in a Si substrate is shown to be related to enhanced oxide decomposition during high-temperature anneal. Decomposition is enhanced because of the creation of a larger number of nucleation centers for the formation of volatile SiO. These nucleation centers are the result of the metals gettered in the stacking faults close to the SiO2/Si interface.