Ionization mechanisms of aluminum acceptor impurity in silicon

Processes of ionization of shallow acceptor centers (ACs) in silicon are studied. In crystalline silicon samples with phosphorus (1.6×10¹³, 2.7×10¹³, and 2.3×10¹⁵cm^?3) and boron (1.3×10¹⁵cm^?3) impurities, _μAl impurity atoms were produced by implantation of negative muons. It is found that thermal ionization is the main mechanism for ionizing the Al acceptor impurity in both p-type and n-type silicon with an impurity concentration of ?10¹⁵cm^?3 at T>45 K. The thermal ionization rate of Al ACs in Si varies from ～10⁵ to ～10⁶s^?1 in the temperature range 45–55 K.     

The relaxation rate of the magnetic moment of a shallow acceptor center as a function of impurity concentration in silicon

A study is made into the temperature dependence of residual polarization of negative muons in crystalline silicon with the concentration of impurity of the n-and p-types ranging from 8.7×10¹³ to 4.1× 10¹⁸ cm^?3. The measurements are performed in a magnetic field of 1000 G transverse to the muon spin, in the temperature range from 4.2 to 300 K. The form of the temperature dependence of the relaxation rate v of the magnetic moment of the μAl⁰ acceptor in silicon is determined. For a nondegenerate semiconductor, the relaxation rate depends on temperature as v ∝ T ^q (q ≈ 3). A variation in the behavior of the temperature dependence and a multiple increase in the relaxation rate are observed in the range of impurity concentration in excess of 10¹⁸ cm^?3. The importance of phonon scattering and spin-exchange scattering of free charge carriers by an acceptor from the standpoint of relaxation of the acceptor magnetic moment is discussed. The constant of hyperfine interaction in an acceptor center formed by an atom of aluminum in silicon is estimated for the first time: |A _hf (Al)/2π| ～ 2.5×10⁶s^?1.     

Interactions of μAl acceptor impurity in weakly and heavily doped silicon

The interactions of the aluminum acceptor impurity in silicon are investigated using polarized negative muons. The polarization of negative muons is studied as a function of temperature on crystalline silicon samples with phosphorus (1.6×10¹³ cm^?3) and boron (4.1×10¹⁸ cm^?3) impurities. The measurements are performed in a magnetic field of 4.1 kG perpendicular to the muon spin, in the temperature range from 4 to 300 K. The experimental results show that, in phosphorus-doped n-type silicon, an _μAl acceptor center is ionized in the temperature range T>50 K. For boron-doped silicon, the temperature dependence of the shift of the muon spin precession frequency is found to deviate from the 1/T Curie law in the temperature range T ? 50 K. The interactions of a _μAl acceptor that may be responsible for the effects observed in the experiment are analyzed.     

Investigation of acceptor centers in semiconductors with the diamond crystal structure by the μ − SR method

The residual polarization of negative muons in crystal silicon samples with phosphorus (P: 1.6×10¹³ cm⁻³) and antimony (Sb: 2×10¹⁸ cm⁻³) impurities is investigated. The measurements are made in a 1000 G magnetic field oriented in a direction transverse to the muon spin in the temperature range 4–300 K. The relaxation rate and shift of the precession frequency in the silicon sample with the phosphorus impurity are measured more accurately than previously. It is found that in antimony-doped silicon the acceptor center _μ A1 at temperatures below 30 K can be in both ionized and neutral states. The experimental data are interpreted on the basis of spin-lattice relaxation of the magnetic moment of an acceptor center, formation of acceptor-donor pairs, and recombination of charge carriers at the acceptor. Preliminary measurements showed a nonzero residual polarization of negative muons in germanium. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 1, 61–66 (10 July 1998)     

Exciton spectra and electrical conductivity of epitaxial silicon-doped GaN layers

Optical spectra and electrical conductivity of silicon-doped epitaxial gallium nitride layers with uncompensated donor concentrations N _D — N _A up to 4.8 × 10¹⁹ cm^?3 at T ≈ 5 K have been studied. As follows from the current-voltage characteristics, at a doping level of ～3 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3 an impurity band is formed and an increase of donor concentration by one more order of magnitude leads to the merging of the impurity band with the conduction band. The transformation of exciton reflection spectra suggests that the formation of the impurity band triggers effective exciton screening at low temperatures. In a sample with N _D — N _A = 3.4 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3, luminescence spectra are still produced by radiation of free and bound excitons. In a sample with N _D — N _A = 4.8 × 10¹⁹ cm^?3, Coulomb interaction is already completely suppressed, with the luminescence spectrum consisting of bands deriving from impurity-band-valence band and conduction-band-valence band radiative transitions.     

Effect of the doping level on temperature bistability in a silicon wafer

The influence of the doping level on the effect of the temperature bistability in a silicon wafer upon radiative heat transfer between the wafer and the elements of the heating system is studied. Theoretical transfer characteristics are constructed for a silicon wafer doped with donor and acceptor impurities. These characteristics are compared with the transfer characteristics obtained during heating and cooling of wafers with the hole conduction (with dopant concentrations of 10¹⁵, 2 × 10¹⁶, and 3 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3) and electron conduction (with impurity concentrations of 10¹⁵ and 8 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3) in a thermal reactor of the rapid thermal annealing setup. It is found that the width and height of the hysteresis loop decrease with increasing dopant concentration and are almost independent of the type of conduction of the silicon wafer. The critical value of the impurity concentration of both types is 1.4 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3. For this concentration, the loop width vanishes, and the height corresponds to the minimal value of the temperature jump (～200 K). The mechanism of temperature bistability in the silicon wafer upon radiative heat transfer is discussed.     

Transport and magnetic properties of multiwall carbon nanotubes before and after bromination

Bulk samples of oriented carbon nanotubes were prepared by electric arc evaporation of graphite in a helium environment. The temperature dependence of the conductivity σ(T), as well as the temperature and field dependences of the magnetic susceptibility χ(T, B) and magnetoresistance ρ(B, T), was measured for both the pristine and brominated samples. The pristine samples exhibit an anisotropy in the conductivity σ_∥(T)/σ_⊥>50, which disappears in the brominated samples. The χ(T, B) data were used to estimate the carrier concentration n ₀ in the samples: n _0ini ～3×10¹⁰ cm^?2 for the pristine sample, and n _0Br～10¹¹ cm^\t—2 for the brominated sample. Estimation of the total carrier concentration n=n _e+n _p from the data on ρ(B, T) yields n _ini=4×10¹⁷ cm^?3 (or 1.3×10¹⁰ cm^?2) and n _Br=2×10¹⁸ cm^?3 (or 6.7×10¹⁰ cm^?2). These estimates are in good agreement with one another and indicate an approximately fourfold increase in carrier concentration in samples after bromination.     

Optical spectra of (CdF2)0.9(InF3)0.1 semiconductor solid solutions

The differences in the optical spectra of CdF₂:In semiconductors with bistable DX centers (concentrated (CdF₂)_0.9(InF₃)_0.1 solid solutions) and “standard” samples with a lower impurity concentration used to record holograms are discussed. In contrast to the standard samples, in which complete decay of two-electron DX states and transfer of electrons to shallow donor levels may occur at low temperatures, long-term irradiation of a (CdF₂)_0.9(InF₃)_0.1 solid solution by UV or visible light leads to decay of no more than 20% deep centers. The experimental data and estimates of the statistical distribution of electrons over energy levels in this crystal give the total electron concentration, neutral donor concentration, and concentration of deep two-electron centers to be ～5 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3, ～9 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3, and more than 1 × 10²⁰ cm^?3, respectively. These estimates show that the majority of impurity ions are located in clusters and can form only deep two-electron states in CdF₂ crystals with a high indium content. In this case, In³⁺ ions in a limited concentration (In³⁺ (～9 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3) are statistically distributed in the “unperturbed” CdF₂ lattice and, as in low-concentrated samples, form DX centers, which possess both shallow hydrogen-like and deep two-electron states.     

Photoluminescent studies of the condensed phase in phosphorus-doped silicon

Photoluminescent studies give evidence for the existence of the electron—hole droplet in phosphorus-doped silicon in the impurity concentration range 9.0 × 10¹⁵cm^?3 ? N_D ? 4.3 × 10¹⁹cm^?3.     

µ−spin rotation study of the temperature-dependent relaxation rate of acceptor centers in silicon

Temperature-dependent remanent polarization of negative muons in a silicon crystal doped with phosphorus (3.2 × 10¹², 2.3 × 10¹⁵, and 4.5 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3) and aluminum (2 × 10¹⁴ and 2.4 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3) was examined. Measurements were made over the temperature range 4–300 K in a magnetic field of 2000 G perpendicular to the muon spin. Temperature dependence of the relaxation rate was determined for the magnetic moment of a shallow Al acceptor center in a nondeformed silicon sample, and the hyperfine interaction constant was estimated for the interaction between the magnetic moments of muon and electron shell of the muonic mAl atom in silicon.     

硅的低温电学性质

本文在20°—300°K研究了室温载流子浓度2×10¹²—1×10²⁰cm^-3含硼或磷(砷)Si的电学性质。对一些p-Si样品用弱场横向磁阻法及杂质激活能法进行了补偿度的测定,并进行了比较。从霍尔系数与温度关系的分析指出,对于较纯样品,硼受主能级的电离能为0.045eV,磷施主能级为0.045eV,在载流子浓度为10¹⁸—10¹⁹cm^-3时发现了费米简并,对载流子浓度为2×10¹⁷—1×10¹⁸cm^-3的p-Si及5×10¹⁷—4×10¹⁸cm^-3的n-Si观察到了杂质电导行为。从霍尔系数与电导率计算了非本征的霍尔迁移率。在100°—300°K间,晶格散射迁移率μ满足关系式AT^-a,其中A=2.1×10⁹,α=2.7(对空穴);或A=1.2×10⁸,α=2.0(对电子)。另外,根据我们的材料(载流子浓度在5×10¹¹—5×10²⁰cm^-3间),分别建立了一条电阻率与载流子浓度及电阻率与迁移率的关系曲线,以提供制备材料时参考之用。     

The effect of uniaxial static pressure on the behavior of an aluminum acceptor impurity in silicon

The effect of uniaxial compression on the behavior of shallow aluminum acceptor centers in silicon has been studied. The _μAl impurity atoms were created by implanting negative muons into silicon single crystals doped with phosphorus to 1.6×10¹³ cm^?3 (sample 1) and 1.9×10¹³ cm^?3 (sample 2). The muon polarization was studied in the temperature range 10–300 K. Measurements were performed in a magnetic field of 2.5 kG oriented perpendicularly to the muon spin. The samples were oriented so that the selected crystal axis ([111] and [100] in samples 1 and 2, respectively), the magnetic field, and the initial muon-spin polarization were mutually perpendicular. External pressure applied to the sample along the indicated crystal axis changed both the absolute value of the acceptor magnetic-moment relaxation rate and the character of its temperature dependence.     

Low-temperature thermal conductivity of tellurium-doped bismuth

Phonon thermal conductivities κ₂₂ (?T ‖ C1) and κ₃₃ (? T ‖ C₃) of tellurium-doped bismuth with an electron concentration in the range 1.8 × 10¹⁹ ≤ n_L ≤ 1.4 × 10²⁰ cm^?3 were studied in the temperature interval 2 < T < 300 K. The temperature dependence of the phonon thermal conductivity obtained on doped bismuth samples of both orientations exhibits two maxima, one at a low temperature and the other at a high temperature. The effect of various phonon relaxation mechanisms on the dependence of both phonon thermal conductivity maxima on temperature, impurity concentration, and electron density is studied.     

Optical and electrical properties of GaN: Si-based microstructures with a wide range of doping levels

The optical and electrical properties of silicon-doped epitaxial gallium nitride layers grown on sapphire have been studied. The studies have been performed over a wide range of silicon concentrations on each side of the Mott transition. The critical concentrations of Si atoms corresponding to the formation of an impurity band in gallium nitride (～2.5 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3) and to the overlap of the impurity band with the conduction band (～2 × 10¹⁹ cm^?3) have been refined. The maximum of the photoluminescence spectrum shifts nonmonotonically with increasing doping level. This shift is determined by two factors: (1) an increase in the exchange interaction leading to a decrease in the energy gap width and (2) a change in the radiation mechanism as the donor concentration increases. The temperature dependence of the exciton luminescence with participating optical phonons has been studied. The energies of phonon-plasmon modes in GaN: Si layers with different silicon concentrations have been measured using Raman spectroscopy.     

Electrical properties of n-type vapor-grown gallium nitride

Hall measurements are reported for undoped and Zn-doped vapor-grown single crystal GaN on (0001) Al₂O₃ layers with 298 K carrier concentrations (n-type) between 1·4×10¹⁷cm^?3 and 9×10¹⁹ cm^?3. Then n～10¹⁷ cm^?3 crystals (undoped) have mobilities up to μ～440 cm²/V sec at 298 K. Their conduction behavior can be described by a two-donor model between 150 and 1225 K and by impurity band transport below 150 K. Crystals with n≥8×10¹⁸ cm^?3 show metallic conduction with no appreciable variation in n or μ between 10 and 298 K.Results of mass spectrographic analyses indicate that the total level of impurities detected is too low to account for the observed electron concentration at the n～10¹⁹ cm^?3 level, and suggest the presence of a high concentration of native donors in these crystals. No significant reduction in carrier concentration was achieved with Zn doping up to concentrations of ～10²⁰ cm^?3 under the growth conditions of the present work, and no evidence was found to indicate that high conductivity p-type behavior may be achieved in GaN. The influence of factors such as growth rate, crystalline perfection and vapor phase composition during growth on the properties of the layers is described.     

Polycrystalline GaSb films prepared by the coevaporation technique

Gallium antimonide (GaSb) films were deposited onto fused silica and n-Si (100) substrates by coevaporating Ga and Sb from appropriate evaporation sources. The films were polycrystalline in nature. The size and the shape of the grains varied with the change in the substrate temperature during deposition. The average surface roughness of the films was estimated to be 10 nm. Grain boundary trap states varied between 2×10¹² and 2.2×10¹² cm^?2 while barrier height at the grain boundaries varied between 0.09 eV and 0.10 eV for films deposited at higher temperatures. Stress in the films decreased for films deposited at higher temperatures. XPS studies indicated two strong peaks located at ～543 eV and ～1121 eV for Sb 3d_3/2 and Ga 2p_3/2 core-level spectra, respectively. The PL spectra measured at 300 K was dominated by a strong peak located ～0.55 eV followed by two low intensity peaks ～0.63 eV and 0.67 eV. A typical n-Si/GaSb photovoltaic cell fabricated here indicated V _oc～311 mV and J～29.45 mA/cm², the density of donors (N _d)～3.87×10¹⁵ cm^?3, built in potential (V _bi)～0.48 V and carrier life time (τ)～28.5 ms. Impedance spectroscopy measurements indicated a dielectric relaxation time ～100 μs.     

Transient InSb spin-flip laser - a measurement of T1

A double pulse spin-flip laser technique has been used to evaluate the InSb conduction electron spin-relaxation time T₁; a value of 60 ± 20 nsec (n = 1.2 × 10¹⁶cm^?3, H = 60 kG, T = 20 K)is obtained. The effects of electron heating by free carrier absorption are measured and an energy relaxation time of 20–40 nsec is obtained. A calculation of T₁ based on ionized impurity scattering in the quantum limit regime is in order of magnitude agreement with the experiment.     

Deep levels in gallium arsenide by capacitance methods

The three capacitance methods, i.e., TSCAP, PHCAP, and transient capacitance measurements, are applied to determine electronic properties of deep levels inn-GaAs. In the boat-grown wafer detected are the 0.30 eV electron trap withN _T =3.6×10¹⁶ cm^?3 andS _n =2.4×10^?15 cm², and the 0.75 eV electron trap withN _T =2.0×10¹⁶ cm^?3 andS _n =1.2×10^?14 cm². In the epitaxial wafer, the 0.45 eV hole trap is detected withN _T >1.5×10¹³ cm^?3 andS _p =1.4×10^?14 cm² as well as the 0.75 eV electron trap withN _T =2.4×10¹³ cm^?3.     

Spin relaxation of charged centers in silicon in the presence of photocarriers (Si: Cr+, [Cr+−B−])

Spin relaxation of deep charged centers Cr⁺ and of donor-acceptor pairs (Cr⁺?B^?)⁰ in silicon is studied by nonstationary EPR spectroscopy at liquid-helium temperatures. We observed the effect of an increase in the spin-lattice relaxation rate under band-to-band sample illumination; the magnitude of the effect is proportional to the photoelectron concentration. The spin-dependent carrier trapping is shown to play a dominant role in spin relaxation under illumination for centers of both types. Coupled rate equations describing the interaction of various subsystems with one another and with the bath are solved. A comparison of experimental data with theory yielded the electron trapping cross sections σ_r(Cr⁺)?4.9×10^?12 cm² and σ_r(Cr⁺?B^?)?1.6×10^?12 cm² at T=4.2 K. The results obtained are discussed in terms of the theory of trapping by attractive centers.     

A monte-carlo/molecular dynamics study of the diffusional recombination kinetics of C(a) + O(a) → CO(g) on Pt(111)

The diffusion constants for C and O adsorbates on Pt(111) surfaces have been calculated with Monte-Carlo/Molecular Dynamics techniques. The diffusion constants are determined to be D_C(T)=(3.4 × 10^?3e^{$\text{?13156}\text{T}$})cm²s^?1 for carbon and D_O(T) = (1.5×10^?3 e^{$\text{?9089}\text{T}$}) cm² s^?1 for oxygen. Using a recently developed diffusion model for surface recombination kinetics an approximate upper bound to the recombination rate constant of C and O on Pt(111) to produce CO_(g) is found to be (9.4×10^?3 e^{$\text{?9089}\text{T}$}) cm² s^?1.