Stress free and moisture insensitive silicon oxide dielectric films formed by molecular‐beam deposition

Silicon oxide, SiOx (1≤x≤2), formed by molecular‐beam deposition (MBD) has many attractive optical, electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties which make it a suitable dielectric for many semiconductor device applications. It can be thermally evaporated at a much lower temperature than Si, SiO2, or Si3N4 and it condenses on cooler surfaces in uniform and adherent stoichiometric SiO (x=1) films when evaporated in high vacuum. At low deposition rates and at high pressures of oxygen, SiOx (1≤x≤2) films result. This allows variation of refractive index, stress, and other properties with x. MBD‐SiOx films are insensitive to moisture absorption. A high quality thin film of SiO2 formed on the surface of SiOx, when exposed to an oxidizing ambient, protects the SiOx film underneath from the environment. Dielectric breakdown strength of the SiO films is comparable to that of other high quality deposited dielectrics. In general, the SiO (x=1) films are under tensile stress of <100 MPa, which is significantly lo...

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