Dissolution of hydrogen and nitrogen in silicon

Deuterium and¹⁵N were used as activable tracers for the study of the dissolution of hydrogen and nitrogen in silicon. Silicon was heated or zone-melted in D₂-Ar, or heated in¹⁵N₂-Ar after being covered with Si₃ ²⁵N₄. Depth profiles of D or¹⁵N in the resultant silicon samples were measured by the D(³He, p)⁴He or¹⁵N(, n)¹⁸F reaction combined with repeated HF–HNO₃ etching. These two measurements have proved to be highly reliable and sensitive and to offer useful techniques in the study of trace concentrations of hydrogen and nitrogen in solid matrices.