Characteristics of Si ‐ SiO2 Interfaces Beneath Thin Silicon Films Defined by Electrochemical Etching

Capacitance‐voltage measurements on thin silicon films defined by electrochemical etching have indicated that fixed surface charge and fast surface states located at the interface beneath the silicon film can be affected by oxygen, nitrogen, or hydrogen heat‐treatments. Both and can be minimized by annealing in hydrogen at high temperatures (900°–1200°C) while nitrogen or oxygen annealing in this same temperature range tends to increase . At low temperatures (450°C) the conventional hydrogen anneal is not sufficient to eliminate fast surface states, probably because of masking of the hydrogen by the 7 μm thick films used in this study.