Semiconductor structure and method

A method for forming a semiconductor structure, comprising a crystalline silicon substrate and a crystalline silicon oxide superstructure on the silicon substrate, the method comprising:

• providing the silicon substrate, having a substantially clean deposition surface in a vacuum chamber;
• heating the silicon substrate to an oxidation temperature TO in a range from 100 to 530° C.;
• and
• while keeping the silicon substrate at the oxidation temperature, supplying molecular oxygen, O2, into the vacuum chamber with an oxidation pressure PO in a range from 1×10−8 millibars, mbar, to 1×10−4 mbar and an oxygen dose DO in a range from 0.1 to 10 000 Langmuir, L;
• depositing a dielectric capping layer on the silicon oxide superstructure;
• whereby the crystalline silicon oxide superstructure is formed on the deposition surface, the silicon oxide superstructure having a thickness of at least two molecular layers and a (1×1) plane structure using Wood's notation.

A semiconductor structure, comprising a crystalline silicon substrate, having a surface, and a crystalline silicon oxide superstructure on the surface of the silicon substrate, the silicon oxide superstructure having a thickness of at least two molecular layers and a (1×1) plane structure using Wood's notation, wherein the semiconductor structure further comprises a dielectric capping layer on the silicon oxide superstructure, formed by:

• providing the silicon substrate, having a substantially clean deposition surface in a vacuum chamber;
• heating the silicon substrate to an oxidation temperature TO in a range from 100 to 530° C.;
• and
• while keeping the silicon substrate at the oxidation temperature, supplying molecular oxygen, O2, into the vacuum chamber with an oxidation pressure PO in a range from 1×10−8 millibars, mbar, to 1×10−4 mbar and an oxygen dose DO in a range from 0.1 to 10 000 Langmuir, L;
• depositing a dielectric capping layer on the silicon oxide superstructure;
• whereby the crystalline silicon oxide superstructure is formed on the deposition surface, the silicon oxide superstructure having a thickness of at least two molecular layers and a (1×1) plane structure using Wood's notation.