Submicron resolution carrier lifetime analysis in silicon with Fano resonances

Defect rich regions in multicrystalline silicon are investigated by Raman spectroscopy at high and low injection levels. By analyzing the Fano type asymmetry and the spectral position of the first order Raman peak crucial properties such as recombination lifetime, doping density and stress can be extracted simultaneously. Due to the small wavelength of the excitation laser the spatial resolution of these measurements is significantly below 1 µm, which gives new insight into the impact of defects on the carrier recombination lifetime. The results are evaluated by comparing them to micro‐photoluminescence and synchrotron X‐ray fluorescence measurements. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)