Oxide Film

Oxide Film A film protecting the silicon surface from impurities generated in the fabrication process. A thin and uniform silicon oxide (SiO2) film is created through a chemical reaction of oxygen with the surface of the silicon wafer at a high temperature. Even tiny contaminants invisible to the naked eye can affect the electrical characteristics of an integrated circuit. Thus, the role of the oxide film is crucial, as it protects the wafer from process impurities. The oxide film also functions as an insulating layer that prevents shorts between the circuits drawn on the wafer surface. While there is a range of different methods used to form oxide films, the thermal oxidation method using a high temperature is most common.