Photo-oxidation of silicon monoxide to silicon dioxide with pulsed far-ultraviolet (193 nm) laser radiation

Silicon monoxide films (1000-5000 Å thick) are converted to silicon dioxide when irradiated in air with pulses (∼15 n half-width) of 193-nm radiation (40-110 mJ/cm2) from an excimer laser. The quantum efficiency of the process has a minimum value of 0.014.