Investigation of the Near-Surface Silicon Layers in SiO₂–Si Structures

Correlation between the parameters and structural perfection of silicon pin-photodetectors

“…The thickness of this layer of complex structure depends on the thickness of the grown oxide. The properties of the layer are well studied and described in [13,14]. Our investigations show that the major defects in the ion-implanted silicon wafers are the dislocation networks occurring at a certain distance from the surface.…”

“…The dislocation density found from the "Cam Scan" analysis was up to 10 8 m -2 in the silicon samples doped by boron. Using AES and X-ray "Cam Scan" methods, it is found ( Table 1) that the impurities, mainly oxygen, are accumulated along the dislocation lines and at the intersection points of dislocation lines [13] (in contrast to the case of silicon wafer oxidation, where the silicon-oxygen compounds of the SiO x type are accumulated along the dislocation lines in the networks). Oxygen accumulates in the regions of a maximum change in the deformation potential near the dislocation cores forming the well-known Cottrell-atmospheres [15].…”

Genesis of initial defects in the process of monocrystalline silicon oxidation with subsequent scribing

“…These structural defects were not also observed in the layers, which lay at the depths 0.4, 0.8, and 1.3 μm under the surface of the silicon wafer (etching time was 10, 20, and 30 s, respectively). Absence of usual defect pattern in near-surface layers of silicon indicates that these layers contain strongly disordered silicon, similar to a fine-blocked polysilicon [9]. It was established that structural defects are not observed in disordered silicon layer by SEMS, because the surface of disordered silicon layer is highly charged, and that blocks reflected electron beam [10].…”