Specific features in the generation and motion of dislocations in silicon single crystals doped with nitrogen

The specific features in the generation and motion of dislocations are investigated in Si: N single crystals grown by the Czochralski method. The motion of dislocation loops is analyzed by the four-point bending technique in the temperature range 500–800°C. The dislocation loops are preliminarily introduced into the samples with the use of a Knoopp indenter at room temperature. It is found that doping with nitrogen leads to a considerable increase in the critical stress of the onset of dislocation motion from surface sources (indentations) and in the stress of the generation of dislocations from internal sources. The velocity of dislocation motion in Si: N crystals is less than that in undoped crystals (under comparable loads). The hardening effect of nitrogen is explained by the fact that nitrogen promotes the decomposition of a solid solution of oxygen in silicon during postcrystallization cooling.     

Dynamic properties of dislocations in silicon wafers heat-treated at low temperatures

The specific features of the dislocation motion in dislocation-free silicon wafers (single crystals are grown by the Czochralski method) heat-treated at 450 and 650°C have been investigated. It is found that the low-temperature treatment of silicon wafers with an oxygen content of (7–8)×10¹⁷ cm^?3 substantially affects the dynamic properties of dislocations generated into silicon wafers during their four-point bending and brings about an increase in the starting stresses of the onset of the dislocation motion. A characteristic spatial inhomogeneity is observed in the generation and propagation of dislocations from indentations upon the bending of heat-treated wafers. The reasons for the regularities revealed are discussed.     

Dislocation generation in heat-treated nitrogen-doped silicon wafers when applying external loads

The features of generation and motion of dislocations in nitrogen-doped dislocation-free silicon wafers after their multistage thermal treatments are investigated. It is established that doping with nitrogen leads to a substantial increase in stresses of the onset of plastic deformation from the external and internal heterogeneous sources in heat-treated wafers. The motion velocity of dislocations in nitrogen-doped silicon wafers is lower than in undoped wafers. The strengthening effect of nitrogen is apparently caused by its activating effect on the decomposition process of a supersaturated solid solution of oxygen during heat treatment.     

Diffuse x-ray scattering study of the formation of microdefects in heat-treated dislocation-free large-diameter silicon wafers

Diffuse x-ray scattering (DXS) is used to study the formation of microdefects (MDs) in heat-treated dislocation-free large-diameter silicon wafers with vacancies. The DXS method is shown to be efficient for investigating MDs in silicon single crystals. Specific defects, such as impurity clouds, are found to form in the silicon wafers during low-temperature annealing at 450°C. These defects are oxygen-rich regions in the solid solution with diffuse coherent interfaces. In the following stages of decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution, oxide precipitates form inside these regions and the impurity clouds disappear. As a result of the decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution of oxygen, interstitial MDs form in the silicon wafers during multistep heat treatment. These MDs lie in the {110} planes and have nonspherical displacement fields. The volume density and size of MDs forming in the silicon wafers at various stages of the decomposition are determined.     

Influence of rapid thermal annealing on the specific features of defect generation in silicon wafers during the formation of effective internal getters

The specific features of the defect generation in silicon wafers subjected to a rapid thermal annealing during the formation of an internal getter have been investigated using optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It has been established that rapid thermal annealing leads to a significant intensification of the decomposition of a supersaturated solid solution of oxygen in silicon, especially in the central region of the wafer. This intensification is responsible for the appearance of characteristic differences in sizes, densities, and morphological features of the microdefects generated in the samples subjected to a rapid thermal annealing as compared to the samples after a conventional heat treatment. The results obtained have demonstrated that the use of rapid thermal annealing has undoubted advantages in the formation of effective internal getters in silicon wafers.     

Radiation breakdown in silicon wafers

Radiation breakdown in silicon slabs is observed and studied as revealed in anomalous behavior of the dose characteristics of their radiation defects when the radiative intensity is varied. A theory is constructed for reversible radiation breakdown due to the bistability which develops in a gas of radiation vacancies when the gas can be regarded as quasi-two-dimensional. In order to explain the exponential saturation of the dose characteristics as the irradiation intensity is increased, scenarios are proposed in which different forms of the constituent radiation defects develop. Some parameters of the bistable gas of primary vacancies are estimated, including diffusion coefficients, dimensions of inhomogeneity regions, and the rate of movement of the stratification line. On the whole, satisfactory agreement with experiment is obtained. Discrepancies between the diffusion coefficient for neutral vacancies obtained here and in the literature are attributed to the role of interband recombination accompanying radiation defect formation during electron bombardment. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 114, 1067–1078 (September 1998)     

The influence of the implantation temperature on the generation of dislocations in antimony-implanted and annealed silicon

We report the first observation of non-equilibrium redistribution effects during laser treatment of a binary system having equilibrium segregation coefficient, k₀, much greater than unity. Polycrystalline aluminium samples implanted with 30 keV Sb⁺ ions to a dose of 1.7 × 10¹⁷ ions/cm² were irradiated with single pulses (7 ns FWHM) from a Nd: glass laser operating in TEM₀₀ mode. The peak energy density (at the centre of the laser spot) varied from 2.0 to 5.7 J/cm². A detailed liquid phase diffusion analysis, explicitly incorporating rapid melt front motion and interfacial segregation, is performed to fit the Sb depth profiles measured with a nuclear microprobe. An effective distribution coefficient k = 1 (as compared to equilibrium value of k₀～7) is obtained in agreement with the theoretical limiting value for large melt front velocities.     

Specific features and mechanisms of photoluminescence of nanostructured silicon carbide films grown on silicon in vacuum

The light-emitting properties of cubic silicon carbide films grown by vacuum vapor phase epitaxy on Si(100) and Si(111) substrates under conditions of decreased growth temperatures (T _gr ∼ 900–700°C) have been discussed. Structural investigations have revealed a nanocrystalline structure and, simultaneously, a homogeneity of the phase composition of the grown 3C-SiC films. Photoluminescence spectra of these structures under excitation of the electronic subsystem by a helium-cadmium laser (λ_excit = 325 nm) are characterized by a rather intense luminescence band with the maximum shifted toward the ultraviolet (∼3 eV) region of the spectral range. It has been found that the integral curve of photoluminescence at low temperatures of measurements is split into a set of Lorentzian components. The correlation between these components and the specific features of the crystal structure of the grown silicon carbide layers has been analyzed.     

Specific features of luminescence of oxygen-deficient centres in nanostructured silicon dioxide

Specific features of radiative and non-radiative relaxations of oxygen-deficient centres (ODC's) in nanostructured silicon dioxide were studied using optically stimulated electron emission and time-resolved photoluminescence. It was found that modifications of oxygen-deficient centres in the form of surface analogues can exist in nanostructured samples prepared by thermal decomposition of polysilazane in air. Photoluminescence of these centres was efficiently excited in the optical absorption bands of surface $E_{\mathrm{s}}^{\prime }$-centres and silicon clusters $\text{<mglyph src="https://sdfestaticassets-us-east-1.sciencedirectassets.com/shared-assets/16/entities/tbnd"></mglyph>}\mathrm{SiSiSi}\text{<mglyph src="https://sdfestaticassets-us-east-1.sciencedirectassets.com/shared-assets/16/entities/tbnd"></mglyph>}$ and could be associated with the intercentre energy transfer during their nonradiative relaxation. Specific features of thermally induced changes in the luminescence characteristics of the defects due to transformation of the structure of silica samples from amorphous to partially crystalline modification were established from analysis of the spectral composition and the decay kinetics of the photoluminescence.     

On the magnetic properties of dislocations in silicon

The anisotropy of a group of equidistant lines in the EPR spectrum of plastically deformed Si can be described as line splitting in a nearly axial crystal field, the axis being parallel to the Burgers vector of the dislocations. We suppose that the spins of the unpaired electrons in the core of the 60° dislocations are coupled along limited segments giving rise to superparamagnetic resonance.     

Specific features of morphology and the structure of nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide films grown on a silicon surface

Physics of the Solid State - The composition, surface morphology, and crystal structure of nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide films grown on a silicon surface through chemical conversion from...     

ESR studies of thermally oxidized silicon wafers

We have performed ESR measurements on oxidized (111) silicon wafers and found two ESR centers. One, the previously known P_b center,was found to be a two level interface trap by corona bias studies. The other one, previously known as “damaged silicon” center was found to be a silicon center, probably related to the oxide growth process.     

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.     

Passivation of dislocations in silicon by hydrogenation

Multicrystalline silicon wafers containing dislocations have been investigated before and after hydrogenation, after external gettering by phosphorus diffusion and also after the two treatments.

It was found that the two treatments are complementary, and improve drastically the wafers.

As gettering by phosphorus is able to remove fast diffusers it is concluded that interaction of hydrogen with segregated oxygen atoms could explain the passivation of dislocations.     

Interaction between oxygen and dislocations in p-type silicon

The interaction between dislocations and impurities in silicon has been the subject of many studies over several years; nevertheless, many questions mainly relevant to the electronic states of complex defects containing impurities and dislocations are still unclear. In oxygen precipitated and plastically deformed p-type silicon deep levels were detected by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). The comparison between differently treated samples allowed us to clarify the influence of oxygen on the defective states. One of the most prominent DLTS peaks usually observed in plastically deformed silicon was found to change substantially as a function of O precipitation. In particular, O precipitation increased the thermal stability of the peak, and also changed the capture and emission processes at the deep level. PACS 78.55.-m; 78.55.Ap; 71.55.-i; 71.55.Cn     

On the generation of bulk microdefects in phosphorus-diffused monocrystalline silicon solar wafers after a high-thermal treatment studied by X-ray topography

Oxygen is the most important impurity in free dislocation Czochralski silicon single crystals incorporated interstitially during the growth. The knowledge of oxygen behavior after thermal processes is of great technological importance, since different kinds of bulk microdefects such us SiO₂ precipitates, dislocation loops and stacking faults can be generated. In monocrystalline silicon solar cell manufacturing fabrication, there are several high-thermal treatments. The first is the diffusion process at 850–900 °C. Three different kinds of phosphorus diffusion wafers, standard PO₃Cl liquid, spray-on and screen printing, were comparatively studied by X-ray topography showing that phosphorus diffusion improves the crystal quality by a gettering process whose best efficiency is in PO₃Cl-diffused wafers. Later, another fabrication high-thermal step is for instance the rear surface passivation taking place at temperatures from 800 to 1,050 °C. For this reason, it is important to study how a high-thermal treatment at 1,000 °C affects the different phosphorus-diffused wafers mentioned above. To evaluate and characterize the possible defects induced by the oxygen precipitation, X-ray topography has been employed. Results show that annealed wafers are not perfect crystals; the oxygen precipitation induces the generation of bulk microdefects whose kind, size and density depend on the diffusion method employed. In PO₃Cl and spray-on diffused wafers, retardation in the oxygen precipitation process takes place after annealing, while in screen printing this process is recovered and a kind of mixed defects between dislocation loops and platelet precipitates is generated.     

Specific features of the motion of neutrons in a medium with a helical magnetic structure

The specific features of the motion of neutrons in a noncoplanar magnetic field are considered by an example of the magnetization distribution in the form of a conical helix. The reflection coefficients of neutrons from holmium crystals are calculated. It is shown that, for a noncoplanar distribution of a magnetic field in a crystal, the reflection coefficient of neutrons with spin flip exhibits an additional feature.