Nanoscaled Profiling of Silicon Surface via Local Anodic Oxidation

Abstract

The nanoscaled profiling of a silicon 5 (111) n-type substrate surface is studied by the local anodic oxidation (LAO). Varying the voltage pulse amplitude from 5 to 12.5 V and the humidity from 30 ± 1 to 70 ± 1% during the LAO is a promising way to form oxide structures with heights from 0.5 ± 0.3 to 2.1 ± 0.1 nm and profiled structures with depths from 0.4 ± 0.3 to 1.5 ± 0.2 nm on the substrate. The results can be applied to the development of technological processes of the element base of silicon-based nanoelectronics using the probe nanotechnologies.