Effects of Low-Temperature Heat Treatments on the Surface Properties of Oxidized Silicon

Oxidized silicon slices were subjected to heat treatments in various environments in the range 300–500 °C either with or without an aluminium electrode present on top of the oxide. Several results point to a large effect of hydrogen in these heat treatments, after which the surfaces often exhibited an increased n-type character. These effects are primarily due to the disappearance of interface states, although in some cases charge redistributions in the oxide-silicon system also play a significant role.