EPR spectra of heat-treatment centers in oxygen-rich silicon

After heat-treatment of oxygen-rich silicon at 410–550 °C ten different EPR spectra were observed. Nine of these are new spectra, seven of them reveal 2mm symmetry for the corresponding heat-treatment center, thereby reducing considerably the number of possible atomic configurations. In some cases the number of paramagnetic centers could account for the observed changes in carrier concentration.     

EPR study of porous silicon

An anisotropic EPR signal was observed in porous Si. According to its symmetry andg value, the EPR signal can be attributed to silicon dangling bonds located on the surface of a porous Si skeleton. The evolution of the EPR signal at room temperature in air was measured. The annealing temperature dependence of the EPR and the PL of porous Si in oxygen and the effects of gamma irradiation on the EPR and the PL spectra of porous Si were studied. The changes of the EPR signal and the PL intensity induced in atmosphere by ethyl alcohol and acetone were discovered. The dangling bond is only one of the factors which affect the PL.This project is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Luminescence centers in porous silicon

Photoluminescence studies on porous silicon show that there are luminescence centers present in the surface states. By taking photoluminescence spectra of porous silicon with respect to temperature, a distinct peak can be observed in the temperature range 100–150 K. Both linear and nonlinear relationships were observed between excitation laser power and the photoluminescence intensity within this temperature range. In addition, there was a tendency for the photoluminescence peak to red shift at low temperature as well as at low excitation power. This is interpreted as indicating that the lower energy transition becomes dominant at low temperature and excitation power. The presence of these luminescence centers can be explained in terms of porous silicon as a mixture of silicon clusters and wires in which quantum confinement along with surface passivation would cause a mixing of andX band structure between the surface states and the bulk. This mixing would allow the formation of luminescence centers.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and photo-EPR studies of aggregate centers with two iron atoms in silicon

We have investigated iron by EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) and photo-EPR in initially boron doped silicon samples in which the iron concentration exceeded the boron content. A new EPR spectrum, showing orthorhombic-I symmetry was observed and could be fitted by an effective spin Hamiltonian with the parameters S=3/2, g=2.07, and E/D=0.68. We identify this spectrum as a new modification of a Fe₂B center which has the same symmetry but different configuration of the constituent atoms.Furthermore, we were able to determine the donor level of the old Fe₂B center to E=E_V+0.57±0.02 eV above the valence band.We have also investigated the Fe₂ donor. According to our straightforward interpretation the energy levels of the transitions from Fe₂⁺ to Fe₂⁰ and from Fe₂⁰ to Fe₂⁺ were determined as E=E_V+0.61±0.02 eV and E=E_C-0.67±0.02 eV, respectively, suggesting a lattice relaxation on electron capture, which is unusual for transition metal centers in silicon. PACS 71.55.Cn; 76.30.Fc     

EPR of iron centres in silicon dioxide

A review is presented of the present status of EPR-based understanding of Fe in SiO₂. As a primary goal, a guide to the literature is given. Quantitative evaluation of all relevant spin-Hamiltonian parameters is discussed, as is computer-based spectral simulation, for single crystals (alpha-quartz), powders and glasses (vitreous quartz). Identification of the numerous centres now known (e.g., for Fe³⁺:[FeO₄/M]⁰ with M=H, Li, Na, …, as well as [FeO₄]^?) is featured, discussing atomic positions, surroundings and dynamic effects. Some general chemical considerations, including comparison between Fe in SiO₂ crystals and glasses, are covered, as are future needs.     

EPR study of erbium-impurity complexes in silicon

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements have been used to characterise Er complexes formed in FZ silicon by the implantation of erbium together with either oxygen or fluorine. The samples have a 2 μm thick layer containing 10¹⁹ Er/cm³ alone or in addition 3×10¹⁹ O/cm³, 10²⁰ O/cm³ or 10²⁰ F/cm³. Various post-implantation anneals were carried out. Several different erbium centres, which have either C_1h monoclinic or trigonal symmetry, are observed and the way in which the type of centre depends on the implantation and annealing conditions is reported.     

EPR investigation of local paramagnetic centers in perovskite-like crystals

In ScF₃ single crystals (pure and doped) as well as in Rb₂KScF₆ and Rb₂KDyF₆ crystals with a perovskite-like structure, point nanodefects (vacancy in place of trivalent cations) have been found and studied. Electron paramagnetic resonance has been used to investigate local paramagnetic centers that are not detected using X-ray diffraction. The angular dependence of the spectra indicates a local distortion of the cubic symmetry of the crystals. An additional hyperfine structure in the observed spectra is due to the delocalization of electrons over six F^? ions forming the first coordination polyhedron around the vacancy. The crystals studied are characterized by a high electron mobility and a high electron velocity, which depends on the impurity. The high mobility of electrons of the cation center can be indirectly responsible for the structural phase transition occurring in the ScF₃ crystal under uniaxial pressure.     

EPR of hole centers in nonlinear LiBO3 crystals

Results are presented of an EPR study of theO⁻ hole center in LiB₃O₅ (lithium triborate) crystals. Analysis of angular dependences of EPR spectra is used to determine the principal values of the g tensor (g _XX=2.032, g _YY=2.020, g _ZZ=2.007), along with the modulus of the isotropic part of the A ² tensor (|A|=12.2 G) and the orientations of the principal axes of the paramagnetic O⁻ center. The most probable model for the O⁻ center in lithium borate crystals is the following: a hole trapped by the center is localized on a p-orbital of an oxygen ion linking two boron atoms with coordination numbers three and four near a negatively charged stabilizing structural defect. In this case the characteristic hyperfine splitting is due primarily to the interaction of the unpaired electron spin with the ¹¹B nucleus. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1380–1383 (August 1996)     

Nonequilibrium polarization of triplet centers in silicon

The Liouville equation is considered for the density operator of a triplet center with phenomenological population and decay constants (K₊ and K_-). In the case of anisotropy of K- with respect to the internal magnetic axis of the triplet, the spin polarization and intensities of the EPR lines of the triplet center in a strong magnetic field are calculated. On this basis, an interpretation of experiments on Si-Si centers in irradiated silicon is given. Quantum-chemical calculations of the model of the center in the form of a cluster OSi₄H₁₂ are performed, taking account of the spin-orbital interaction, the anisotropy of which agrees with the EPR spectra of Si-Si centers in silicon.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 6, pp. 97–101, June, 1989.     

Positron-trap centers in neutron-irradiated silicon containing hydrogen

The defect evolution as a function of the annealing temperature has been studied in monocrystalline silicon grown in a hydrogen atmosphere and irradiated with 3.6×10¹⁷ neutrons/cm². Positron lifetime spectroscopy has been used and the results compared with infrated absorption measurements. Vacancy-H, vacancy-2H, vacancy-O–H and divacancy complexes withm hydrogen atoms (m<6) have been identified for the first time as possible positron traps.     

ODMR and EPR investigations of Fe centers in KTaO3

The analysis of EPR spectra obtained from iron doped KTaO₃ crystals in the as-grown state revealed three dominant iron centers: Fe³⁺-O_I, axial Fe-centers with spinS = 3/2 and rhombic Fe³⁺. By comparison with data from literature possible assignments for the center withS = 3/2 are discussed. For the rhombic species the temperature dependence of the main parameters of the Spin- Hamiltonian was measured. The result makes it most plausible that only one rhombic iron center exists in KTaO₃, in contrast with literature. The understanding of the EPR spectra allows us to assign transitions, observed at very low magnetic fields by optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR), to this rhombic Fe center. On this basis, the magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) of this defect could be identified using the method of tagged-MCD. This spectrum is compared to the tagged-MCD of Fe³⁺-O₁ and of axial Fe⁴⁺ centers, which may be generated metastably by optical charge transfer. Considerably different structures in the MCD spectra of both Fe³⁺ centers indicate different local surroundings and electronic states.Dedicated to O. F. Schirmer on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Oxygen-induced modification of dislocation luminescence centers in silicon

Prospects for using the long-wavelength dislocation luminescence line D1 in silicon-based light-emitting diodes are considered. The standard spectral position of this line at 807 meV, rather than being canonic, depends on the morphology of the dislocation structure and the impurity environment of an individual dislocation. Data on the spectral distribution of luminescence intensity in the region of the D1 line have been analyzed in terms of the concentration of interstitial oxygen in a sample, plastic deformation parameters, and thermal treatment. The results obtained suggest that oxygen exerts a dominant effect on the spectral position of line D1 and luminescence intensity in its vicinity. It is shown that the probable structure of recombination centers can be described in terms of the donor-acceptor pair model, in which oxygen complexes serve as donors and the acceptors are structural defects in the dislocation core.     

Electron capture coefficient of neutral indium in silicon

Silicon, doped with indium and phosphorus to 10¹⁶ cm^?3 and well compensated, was illuminated by a halogen lamp, causing neutralization of the indium acceptors. The neutral acceptor concentration was determined by infra-red absorption measurements. From the decay of absorption, after interrupting the exciting illumination, the electron capture coefficient of neutral indium was calculated as 2 × 10^?15 cm³ sec^?1 at 77 K.