The Structure of the Si/SiO sub 2 Interface: A Review.

We briefly review the structure of the Si/SiO sub 2 interface, so far as it is known, and present new results on the atomic structure of the interface, when atomically flat Si(100) surfaces are oxidised under a variety of conditions. In all cases we observe a crystalline interfacial layer. On the basis of diffraction, lattice imaging and photoemission spectroscopy data, we discuss the possible atomic configurations of the interface.