Photoluminescence (PL) spectra from lightly boron (B) doped p − -Si(100) under 488.0 nm Ar + ion laser excitation over the temperature range of 22 K-290 K is presented. Change of PL peak height (maximum intensity), peak position, peak area (areal intensity), full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM: peak width) were determined as a function of temperature. PL intensity was sharply decreased with temperature increase in the temperature range of 22 K -170 K and then slowly increased again in the temperature range of 170 K-290 K. Phonon replicas of a relatively sharp band-to-band (or band edge (BE)) PL peak were clearly measured at low temperatures (≤90 K). PL spectra became broader and the phonon replicas were barely distinguishable as the temperature was increased. The envelope of the main PL peak and the broadening of peak width with the Si temperature were qualitatively in good agreement with the Maxell-Boltzmann probability distribution function. The direction of peak position shift with Si temperature change was also in good agreement with the temperature dependence of the Si bandgap. All measured PL spectra were curve fitted using combinations of modified Gaussian function(s) and standard Gaussian function(s). A simplified curve fitting method for broad PL spectra, consisting of the BE peak and band tail peak, using an exponentially modified Gaussian (EMG or ExGaussian) function and a number of standard Gaussian functions, was proposed from a practical usage point of view. Radiative recombination processes in Si and potential industrial applications of the PL characterization technique were discussed. For the characterization of electrical behaviors of Si, resistivity, carrier concentration, mobility and Hall effect measurements were routinely inspected during wafer fabrication and incoming quality control at the wafer fabs.1 A number of noncontact characterization techniques, such as microwave detected photoconductance decay (μ-PCD)1,2 and inductively coupled quasi-steady-state photoconductance (QSSPC), 1,3 have been used for in-line monitoring of contamination and process induced modulation of electrical behaviors of Si. Steady state PCD measurement techniques 4 enabled by improved laser technology were recently introduced.With the introduction of photoluminescence (PL) imaging and spectrum analysis, a noncontact, purely optical technique is now available for spatially resolved electrical characterization. For industrial applications, the ease of measurement without special sample preparation is important. This is especially true for in-line monitoring applications in semiconductor device manufacturers. PL measurements at room temperature (RT) are preferred. However, the RTPL spectra from Si are generally very broad and it is difficult to identify the origin of variations in RTPL spectra. In this paper, temperature dependence of PL spectra from lightly boron (B) doped p − -Si(100) was measured in the temperature range of 22 K-290 K and the effect of temperature on the change of PL spectra was investigated. Practic...

Defect formation and annihilation in ultra-shallow junctions (USJs), before and after rapid thermal annealing, are optically characterized by photoluminescence (PL) and UV Raman spectroscopy. Defect formation and annihilation in the USJ samples, by ion implantation and subsequent rapid thermal annealing, are characterized by transmission electron microscopy and deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). It is confirmed that the defects are formed in the deep region beneath the ultra-shallow implanted layer. The defects degrade the PL intensity. The contribution of nonradiative recombination in the implanted layer was evaluated by PL measurements, after removal of the implanted layer, by repeated nano-meter scale wet etching. The PL technique clearly identifies defects formed in the deep region, i.e., the depletion layer. Compared with the results obtained by DLTS, PL measurements, conducted at room temperature, enable us to nondestructively characterize defects in the USJ, on an in-line basis, at a concentration in the order of 10 12 cm −3 or below. This cannot be achieved by conventional techniques, such as the four-point probe method.

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