Mechanical stress in structures formed by thermal oxidation of amorphous and crystalline silicon

Stress in formed by oxidation of crystalline (c-Si) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) at temperatures ranging from in dry and in dry contaminated with hydrogen was studied. During the oxidation the a-Si:H films underwent crystallization and the resultant oxide stress was compressive or tensile depending on the oxidation temperature. Oxides grown on c-Si in dry contaminated with hydrogen showed higher compressive stress than that characteristic for dry oxidation of c-Si.