A comparison was made of B diffusivity, during oxidation, in pure Si and in Si which was covered with a very thin layer of SiGe. The profiles were determined by using secondary ion mass spectrometry. It was found that a thin layer of the alloy suppressed oxidation-enhanced B diffusion. A mechanism was suggested which was based upon the suppression of Si interstitials. This effect appeared to explain previously reported faster rates of oxidation of bulk SiGe and of SiGe-covered Si samples.

F.K.LeGoues, R.Rosenberg, B.S.Meyerson: Applied Physics Letters, 1989, 54[8], 751-3