Non-intrusive mapping of subsurface defects in semiconductors

We have adapted differential interference contrast Nomarski microscopy in the transmission configuration to the problem of mapping subsurface defects in semiconductors. We have demonstrated the ability to rapidly measure the depth of the precipitate-free-zone in silicon with a reproducibility of ±1 m in whole Si wafers up to 200 nm in diameter, having an extrinsic doping concentration up to 7×10¹⁹ cm^–3 and a nominal, as received, back side roughness. Because our subsurface defect profiler is completely non-destructive, product wafers can be inspected at various stages of processing and immediately returned to the production line.     

Effect of axial pressure on the capacitance of metal-tunneling-transparent oxide-semiconductor structures

The effect of axial pressure on the capacitance of molybdenum-tunneling-transparent oxide-n-type silicon is studied. The capacitance was measured in the frequency band 1 kHz–10 MHz by the bridge method. The oxide was 5·10^–9 m thick. It is shown experimentally that the effect of the pressure on the capacitance of the structures consists of a pressure-induced change in the surface charge of these structures. The largest changes in the capacitance are observed in structures based on (100) silicon at low measurement frequencies and are associated with the presence of an acceptor level, close to the Fermi level of silicon on the surface, at the silicon-oxide interface and pressure-induced recharging of the level.Deceased.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, No. 9, pp. 65–69, September, 1988.     

Growth stages of YSZ-buffer layers and YBa2Cu3O7−x thin films on silicon substrates studied by scanning probe microscopy

Scanning probe microscopy has been applied to study various growth stages of YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia) buffer layers on silicon and of YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x thin films on YSZ/Si. YSZ buffer layers of 75 nm thickness exhibit a remarkable smooth surface with a rms roughness of about 0.5 nm for a surface area of 5 m×5 m. The subsequent growth of YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x thin films was investigated from nucleation to the formation of growth hills. Screw dislocations were found only in very rare cases.     

Rapid thermal diffusion of aluminum in silicon and its interaction with phosphorus

Aluminum diffusion profiles in silicon were produced under rapid thermal processing conditions using a Si-sandwich structure to avoid losses of aluminum by reaction with the quartz reactor. The impact of phosphorus on the diffusion behaviour of aluminum was investigated by predeposition of P into Al-diffused wafers and vice versa. Dopant profiles were determined by SIMS (Secondary-Ion-Mass Spectroscopy), electrochemical CV-and SRP (Spreading Resistance) analysis. The resulting profiles after Al predeposition at 1293 K exhibit high Al-surface concentrations up to the solid solubility limit of about 2×10²⁵ m^–3. It is shown that phosphorus has a great influence on the drivein behaviour of Al, leading to an accelerated Al diffusion in front of the P profile (enhanced Al diffusion caused by self-interstitial supersaturation) and an up-hill migration of Al in the high-concentration regime, which can be explained by field-assisted diffusion. A strong retardation of aluminum diffusion combined with concentrations well above the solidsolubility limit was observed during the Al predeposition into P-diffused wafers.     

High-density-plasma (HDP)-CVD oxide to thermal oxide wafer bonding for strained silicon layer transfer applications

Direct wafer bonding between high-density-plasma chemical vapour deposited (HDP-CVD) oxide and thermal oxide (TO) has been investigated. HDP-CVD oxides, about 230 nm in thickness, were deposited on Si(0 0 1) control wafers and the wafers of interest that contain a thin strained silicon (sSi) layer on a so-called virtual substrate that is composed of relaxed SiGe (∼4 μm thick) on Si(0 0 1) wafers. The surfaces of the as-deposited HDP-CVD oxides on the Si control wafers were smooth with a root-mean-square (RMS) roughness of <1 nm, which is sufficiently smooth for direct wafer bonding. The surfaces of the sSi/SiGe/Si(0 0 1) substrates show an RMS roughness of >2 nm. After HDP-CVD oxide deposition on the sSi/SiGe/Si substrates, the RMS roughness of the oxide surfaces was also found to be the same, i.e., >2 nm. To use these wafers for direct bonding the RMS roughness had to be reduced below 1 nm, which was carried out using a chemo-mechanical polishing (CMP) step. After bonding the HDP-CVD oxides to thermally oxidized handle wafers, the bonded interfaces were mostly bubble- and void-free for the silicon control and the sSi/SiGe/Si(0 0 1) wafers. The bonded wafer pairs were then annealed at higher temperatures up to 800 °C and the bonded interfaces were still found to be almost bubble- and void-free. Thus, HDP-CVD oxide is quite suitable for direct wafer bonding and layer transfer of ultrathin sSi layers on oxidized Si wafers for the fabrication of novel sSOI substrates.     

Origin of the defect states at ZnS/Si interfaces

Electrical characterisation of silicon surfaces contaminated by a zinc-sulphide overlayer has been carried out by forming Schottky diodes on the silicon after the ZnS has been etched off. The techniques include current-voltage, capacitance-voltage, and deep-level transieni spectroscopy. The Schottky diodes show clear memory of the presence of the ZnS overlayer and the electrical characteristics are far from ideal. Five deep levels in the sub-surface region of the silicon are detected, corresponding to the Zn⁺, Zn⁺⁺, S^–, S^–– states and probably to a Zn–B complex (p-type). Diffusion of the zinc and sulphur into the silicon is therefore confirmed and this diffusion is thought to create a compensated layer at the interface. These impurity states control the electrical characteristics of the surface in these diodes.     

Investigations on hydrophilic and hydrophobic silicon (100) wafer surfaces by X-ray photoelectron and high-resolution electron energy loss-spectroscopy

The paper reports on surface spectroscopy measurements of silicon single-crystal wafers which have been treated in order to obtain hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces, respectively. The wafers are characterized in terms of the oxidation behaviour in air (native oxides), their surface chemical composition and the chemical bonds involved. It is shown that the oxide on hydrophilic wafers mainly grows in the cleaning agent and consists of hydrated SiO₂ through all stages of the growth. On a hydrophobic surface, however, the oxidation begins with the formation of a lower oxidation state which turns into SiO₂ on storage in air. The thickness of the oxides on both surface types reaches 1.4–1.5 nm. Both the chemical shift in photoelectron spectroscopy and the frequency of the asymmetric Si-O-Si vibration in electron energy loss spectroscopy support the assumption of a reduced bonding angle of the oxygen bridge.Hydrophilicity is caused by singular and associated OH groups on the surface. Singular groups could be detected up to 700 K. There are hints that OH groups stabilize the oxide during heating. The hydrophobic state is mainly characterized by Si-H and Si-CH _x groups on the surface, whereas Si-F exists only in minor quantities. Si-H groups were stable up to approximately 900 K in UHV. Si-CH _x dehydrogenizes at temperatures between 500 and 700 K leaving SiC on the surface.     

Buried contact solar cell using tri-crystalline CZ silicon wafers

Tri-crystalline silicon wafers have been used for fabrication of buried contact solar cells. Optical properties and microstructures after texturing in KOH solution have been studied and compared with those of multi-crystalline silicon wafers. The textured surface of tri-crystalline wafer has a shape of V-groove with an angle of 109.48°. The efficiency of buried contact solar cell fabricated on tri-crystalline wafer measured to be 14.27% without optimization of cell process for tri-crystalline CZ wafer. Ray tracing computer simulations showed that V-groove composed of (1 1 1) after texturing can decrease reflectance significantly when cells are encapsulated. The reflectance can be reduced to about 4%, averaged over the 400–1100 nm wavelength range. The life time of tri-grain wafer was longer than that of multi-crystalline silicon wafer because it has only three twin boundaries in a wafer.     

Annealing behavior ot trap-centers in silicon containing A-swirl defects

The annealing behavior of trap-centers was studied in float-zone silicon wafers containing A-swirl defects. Samples from areas of high and low A-swirl density were annealed in nitrogen ambient between 100° and 900 °C, and analysed using the Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy. The results indicate, that two levels atE _c }-0.07 eV, _n=4.6×10^–16 cm², andE _c–0.49eV, _n=6.6×10^–16cm² are caused by one defect, for which the silicon di-selfinterstitial is a likely interpretation. A level atE _c }-0.11 eV was assigned to interstitial carbon. Both defects annealed out at about 170 °C. After 600 °C annealing an additional level atE _c–0.2 eV was detected, which was attributed to an interstitial silicon carbon complex. Heat treatment at 800 °C generated a new level atE _c–0.49 eV, _n=2.9×10^–16cm² only in the area of high A-swirl defect density. This level was also observed after oxidation and subsequent annealing of silicon.     

Nanopolishing of silicon wafers using ultrafine-dispersed diamonds

In the present study, two new methods are proposed for the polishing of silicon wafers using ultrafine-dispersed diamonds (UDDs). The first proposed polishing method uses a polishing tool with an ultrafine abrasive material made through the electrophoretic deposition of UDDs onto a brass rod. Dry polishing tests showed that the surface roughness of the silicon wafer was reduced from R_a=107 to 4 nm after polishing for 30 min. The second method uses a new polishing pad with self-generating porosity. By polishing with the new pad in combination with the polycrystalline UDD in a water suspension, it is possible to achieve the specified surface roughness of the silicon wafer much faster than when using a conventional pad made of foamed polyurethane. The tests showed that the surface roughness of the silicon wafer was reduced from R_a=107 to 2 nm after polishing for 90 min.     

Fabrication and characterization of n-ZnO on p-SiC heterojunction diodes on 4H-SiC substrates

We report on the growth and characterization of n-ZnO/p-4H-SiC heterojunction diodes. Our n-ZnO layers were grown with radical-source molecular beam epitaxy (RS-MBE) on p-4H-SiC epilayers, which was previously prepared in a horizontal hot-wall reactor by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) on the n-type 4H-SiC wafers. Details on the n-ZnO growth on 8-off 4H-SiC wafers, the quality of the layers and the nature of realized p–n structures are discussed. Mesa diode structures were fabricated. Al was sputtered through a circle mask with diameter 1 mm and annealed to form Ohmic contacts to p-SiC. Ohmic contacts to the n-ZnO were formed by 30 nm/300 nm Ti/Au sputtered by electron beam evaporation. Electrical properties of the structures obtained have been studied with Hall measurements, and current–voltage measurements (I–V). I–V measurements of the device showed good rectifying behavior, from which a turn-on voltage of about 2 V was obtained.     

Sum-frequency generation at electrochemical interfaces: Cyanide vibrations on Pt(111) and Pt(110)

We use optical sum-frequency generation to investigate the stretching vibrations of cyanide (CN^–) molecules chemisorbed from aqueous electrolytes on single-crystalline Pt(111)- and Pt(110)-electrode surfaces. For clean and well-ordered Pt(111) electrodes, a single vibrational band between 2080 and 2150 cm^–1 with a nonlinear frequency dependence on the potential is observed and assigned to the CN stretching vibration of chemisorbed cyanide. A second band between 2145 and 2150 cm^–1 with very weak potential dependence appears on a surface which was subjected to oxidation-reduction cycles and is attributed to cyanide associated with a microscopically disordered surface. This assignment is supported by preliminary results for a Pt(110) single-crystal electrode. On a well-ordered (110) surface a single and potential-dependent cyanide vibration between 2070 and 2112 cm^–1 is observed. After oxidation of the cyanide and readsorption, this band is replaced by a higher frequency band at 2144 cm^–1 which is essentially not potential-dependent. Occasionally, additional vibrational bands at lower frequencies not reported in corresponding IR studies are observed on Pt(111).Paper presented at the 129th WE-Heraeus-Seminar on Surface Studies by Nonlinear Laser Spectroscopies, Kassel, Germany, May 30 to June 1, 1994     

Development of surface-textured hydrogenated ZnO:Al thin-films for μc-Si solar cells

This study addresses the optimization of rf magnetron-sputtered hydrogenated ZnO:Al (HAZO) films as front contacts in microcrystalline silicon solar cells. The front contact of a solar cell has to be highly conductive and highly transparent to visible and infrared radiation. Furthermore, it has to scatter the incident light efficiently in order for the light to be effectively trapped in the underlying silicon layers. In this research, HAZO films were rf-magnetron-sputtered on glass substrates from a ceramic (98 wt% ZnO, 2 wt% Al₂O₃) target. Various compositions of AZO films on glass substrates were prepared by changing the H₂/(Ar + H₂) ratio of the sputtering gas. The resulting smooth films exhibited high transparencies (T  85% for visible light including all reflection losses) and excellent electrical properties (ρ = 2.7 × 10⁻⁴ Ω · cm). Depending on their structural properties, these films developed different surface textures upon post-deposition etching using diluted hydrochloric acid. The light-scattering properties of these films could be controlled simply by varying the etching time. Moreover, the electrical properties of the films were not affected by the etching process. Therefore, within certain limits, it is possible to optimize the electro-optical and light-scattering properties separately. The microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H)-based p–i–n solar cells prepared using these new texture-etched AZO:H substrates showed high quantum efficiencies in the long wavelength range, thereby demonstrating effective light trapping. Using the optimum AZO:H thin-film textured surface, we achieved a p–i–n μc-Si solar cell efficiency of 7.78%.     

Distinctive features of creep in silicon whiskers

The phenomenon of creep in silicon whiskers has been studied in the temperature range 300–1100°K at stresses (0.1–5)·10⁸ N·m^–2. On the basis of the tests, analysis of the fine structure of the creep curves, and studies on the crystal structure, the conclusion is drawn that the creep observed in silicon whiskers is due to the heterogeneous nucleation of dislocations at stress concentration sites with the participation of thermal fluctuations.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 10, pp. 31–35, October, 1981.     

Microplasticity of silicon crystals

The low-frequency (1 Hz) internal friction (Q^–1) method was used to study the microplasticity of silicon whisker crystals grown by the method of chemical gas-transport reactions in a closed ampoule. A study was made of p-type crystals with the growth axis 111, 1–60 in diameter, working length 1–3 mm, both in the original state and after plastic ( 1%) deformtion by torsion. The temperature and amplitude dependences of Q^–1 were studied in 5·10^–5 torr vacuum. The amplitude of alternating vibrations was within the range 10^–5–10^–3 and the axial stresses were 10⁶–10⁷ N/m². The experimental results led to the conclusion that the microplasticity of undeformed silicon whiskers was due to heterogeneous nucleation of dislocations in stress concentration regions near surface defects, assisted by thermal fluctuations. In deformed whiskers the microplasticity was attributed to the nucleation and motion along dislocations of single and double thermal kinks in accordance with the Seeger model.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 88–93, May, 1980.     

Rapid optical measurement of surface texturing result of crystalline silicon wafers for high efficiency solar cells application

Surface texturing of crystalline silicon (c-Si wafers) wafers is a frequently used technique in high efficiency solar cells processing to reduce the light reflectance. Measuring the surface texturing result is important in the manufacturing process of high efficiency solar cells because the surface texturing of c-Si wafers is sensitive to the performance of reducing front reflection. Traditional approach for measuring surface roughness of texturing of c-Si wafers is atomic force microscopy. The disadvantage of this approach include long lead-time and slow measurement speed. To solve this problem, an optical inspection system for rapid measuring the surface roughness of texturing of c-Si wafers is proposed in this study. It is found that the incident angle of 60° is a good candidate for measuring surface roughness of texturing of c-Si wafers and y = ?188.62x + 70.987 is a trend equation for predicting the surface roughness of texturing of c-Si wafers. Roughness average (Ra) of texturing of c-Si wafers (y) can be directly determined from the peak power density (x) using the optical inspection system developed. The results were verified by atomic force microscopy. The measurement error of the optical inspection system developed is approximately 0.89%. The saving in inspection time of the surface roughness of texturing of c-Si wafers is up to 87.5%.     

Silicon carbide synthesis with energy pulses

Polycrystalline SiC layers were synthesized through nanosecond pulse heating of thin carbon films deposited on single-crystalline silicon wafers. The samples were submitted to electron beam irradiation (25 keV, 50 ns) at various current densities in vacuum (10^–4mbar) and to XeCl excimer laser pulses (308 nm, 15ns) in air. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) showed that in the e-beam annealed samples mixing of the elements at the interface starts at current densities of about 1200 A/cm². The mixed layer thickness increases almost linearly with current density. From the RBS spectra a composition of the intermixed layers close to the SiC compound was deduced. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction studies clearly evidenced the formation of SiC polycrystals. Using the XeCl excimer laser, intermixing of the deposited C film with the Si substrate was observed after a single 0.3 J/cm² pulse. Further analysis evidenced the formation of SiC nanocrystals, embedded in a diamond film.     

Excimer-laser-assisted RF glow-discharge deposition of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon thin films

We combine the deposition of Hydrogenated amorphous Silicon (a-Si:H) by rf glow discharge with XeCl-excimer laser irradiation of the growing surface in order to obtain different kinds of silicon films in the same deposition system. In-situ UV-visible ellipsometry allows us to measure the optical properties of the films as the laser fluence is increased from 0 up to 180 mJ/cm² in separate depositions. For fixed glow-discharge conditions and a substrate temperature of 250° C we observe dramatic changes in the film structure as the laser fluence is increased. With respect to a reference a-Si:H film (no laser irradiation) we observe at low laser fluences (15–60 mJ/cm²) that the film remains amorphous but demonstrates enchanced surface roughness and bulk porosity. At intermediate fluences (80–165 m/Jcm²), we obtain an amorphous film with an enhanced density with respect to the reference film. Finally, at high fluences (165–180 mJ/cm²), we obtain microcrystalline films. The in-situ ellipsometry measurements are complemented by ex-situ measurements of the dark conductivity, X-ray diffraction, and Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA). Simulation of the temperature profiles for different film thicknesses and for three laser fluences indicates that crystallization occurs if the surface temperature reaches the melting point of a-Si:H ( 1420 K). The effects of laser treatment on the film properties are discussed by taking into account the photonic and thermal effects of laser irradiation.Presented at LASERION 93, Munich, June 21–23, 1993     

Dimensional evolution of silicon nanowires synthesized by Au–Si island-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition

This study explores the nucleation and morphological evolution of silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) on Si (0 0 1) and (1 1 1) substrates synthesized using nanoscale Au–Si island-catalyzed rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition. The Au–Si islands are formed by Au thin film (1.2–3.0 nm) deposition at room temperature followed by annealing at 700 °C, which are employed as a liquid-droplet catalysis during the growth of the Si-NWs. The Si-NWs are grown by exposing the substrates with Au–Si islands to a mixture of gasses SiH₄ and H₂. The growth temperatures and the pressures are 500–600 °C and 0.1–1.0 Torr, respectively. We found a critical thickness of the Au film for Si-NWs nucleation at a given growth condition. Also, we observed that the dimensional evolution of the NWs significantly depends on the growth pressure and temperature. The resulting NWs are 30–100 nm in diameter and 0.4–12.0 μm in length. For Si (0 0 1) substrates 80% of the NWs are aligned along the 1 1 1 direction which are 30° and 60° with respect to the substrate surface while for Si (1 1 1) most of the NWs are aligned vertically along the 1 1 1 direction. In particular, we observed that there appears to be two types of NWs; one with a straight and another with a tapered shape. The morphological and dimensional evolution of the Si-NWs is significantly related to atomic diffusion kinetics and energetics in the vapor–liquid–solid processes.