Oxide
Growth and Corrosion
· At a surface,
a reaction with oxygen
will produce a surface oxide layer. Most technical materials
that can react with oxygen will have a native oxide layer on their surface.
· The growth of an oxide layer
on silicon
is an essential process in the fabrication of microelectronic devices.
Oxidation of other technical materials by ambient oxygen is an important
corrosion
mechanism that limits their utility.
· Oxide
growth is a diffusion controlled process with either the oxygen
or the material diffusing through the growing oxide. The control of this process
is essential, and the oxidation mechanism involves a steady state process
controlled by the diffusion flux through the oxide overlayer.
· Oxidation is a Fick's first law problem.
|
