The concentration profiles of H in wet thermally-grown layer structures were measured by using nuclear reaction analysis. The measured H concentration in the SiO2 layer was initially equal to about 2.2 x 1020/cm3, and was almost constant throughout the oxide. In order to make nuclear reaction analysis measurements of the initial H profiles, a low dose of 15N ions was used to minimize any change in the profile due to the nuclear reaction analysis measurement itself. Following high-dose 15N ion irradiation, accumulation of H in the interface was observed; together with a loss of H through the surface. Structures with an oxide film thickness of 32, 92 or 173nm were investigated. A rapid initial increase in the H concentration in the transition region, with increasing irradiation fluence, was observed for all 3 samples. In the case of the 32 and 92nm samples, prolonged irradiation led to a reduction in the H concentration at the interface.

Nuclear Reaction Analysis of Hydrogen Migration in Silicon Dioxide Films on Silicon under 15N Ion Irradiation. K.H.Ecker, J.Krauser, A.Weidinger, H.P.Weise, K.Maser: Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research B, 2000, 161-163, 682-5