Can Si(113) wafers be an alternative to Si(001)

Abstract Si(113) may be a competitive substrate material for Si integrated circuits. High-quality SiO 2 /Si(113) films can be produced by standard oxidation techniques. Based on investigations of the initial stages of oxidation by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and ab initio calculations, we interpret this result as an effect of tensile stress and reduced diffusivity of oxidation by-products on Si(113). Breakdown behavior (field and charge-to-breakdown) of 5 nm thick oxide layers on Si(113) is better than on Si(001), at least by a factor 2 for charge to breakdown. To evaluate the technological potential of Si(113), gate-controlled diodes were prepared on Si(113) and Si(001) under conditions optimized for Si(001). Electrical measurements demonstrate no significant differences in the density of rechargeable interface states, threshold voltages, and charge carrier generation and recombination. We believe that optimization of the preparation conditions may lead to extremely reliable thin gate oxides on Si(113).