Si dangling bond interface defects (Pb0, Pb1) were probed by electron spin resonance in entities of (100)Si with ultra-thin SiO2 grown in ozonated de-ionized water solution at room temperature. After photo-desorption of passivating H, Pb0 appears with densities up to ~5 x 1012/cm2, a value 5 times larger than the one usually attained with high temperature thermal growth. Thus standard quality thermal Si/SiO2 interface properties, as exposed by the Pb0-type defects criterion (interface traps), were not obtained by oxidation in ozonated water solutions at room temperature. The interface quality may be upgraded by providing additional thermal budget. Yet standard quality was still not attained after vacuum annealing at 600C.

Pb-Type Interface Defects in (100)Si/SiO2 Structures Grown in Ozonated Water Solution. D.Pierreux, A.Stesmans: Journal of Applied Physics, 2003, 93[7], 4331-3