Low-angle boundary investigation in silicon single crystals

Low-angle boundaries in Si single crystals grown from the melt in [111], [100], [112], [110], [118] and [115] directions were investigated by chemical etching, copper decoration technique and X-ray topography. — LAB of four types were found in planes parallel to the crystal growth axes. Rearrangement of dislocations from slip bands into LAB was observed in heavily-doped Si crystals. The origin of LAB in melt grown Si crystals is discussed. It is shown that these boundaries are well interpreted in terms of dislocation alignment formation in the thermal stress field of the growing crystal.