Capacitive Spectroscopy of Deep Levels in Silicon with Samarium Impurity

Abstract

The effect of thermal treatment on the behavior of samarium atoms introduced into silicon during the growth process was studied using the method of transient capacitive deep-level spectroscopy (DLTS). It has been shown that various high-temperature treatments lead to the activation of samarium atoms in the bulk of n-Si and the formation of deep levels. The energy spectrum of deep levels arising during heat treatments has been determined. The dependence of the efficiency of formation of these levels in n‑Si<Sm> on the processing temperature has been studied. It was found that the higher the content of samarium atoms in the bulk of silicon at the same high-temperature treatment temperature, the higher the concentration of the deep level EC–0.39 eV. From this, we can conclude that the EC–0.39 eV level is associated with the activation of samarium atoms in the n-Si<Sm> volume.