Anisotropy and temperature dependence of small angle neutron scattering from silicon-oxide precipitates in silicon

Czochralski grown silicon crystals contain interstitially dissolved oxygen which diffuses on heating to form precipitates of silica. We have examined these precipitates by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) in the Q-range 0.05 Å^–1<Q<0.4 Å^–1. The obtained SANS patterns reveal pronounced anisotropic intensity distributions which resemble the symmetry of the host crystal. The SANS spectra show an anisotropic central peak at Q<0.1 Å^–1 due to the single particle shape and a number of weak intensities for larger Q-values. These weak side maxima are considered correlation peaks or quasi-elastic interference peaks. They show, however, an unexpected and distinct temperature dependence: with decreasing temperature below values of 220 K their intensity is lost slowly, but reversibly. At T = 50 K only the central peak from the single-particle scattering remains unchanged. Upon heating, the correlation peaks regain their former value of intensity and Q-position without any evidence of thermal hysteresis.