Dopant Diffusion during Amorphous Silicon Crystallization

Abstract

We have investigated the redistribution of B during the crystallization of an amorphous Si layer homogeneously doped with P. The redistribution of B only occurs for concentrations lower than 2 × 1020 at cm−3. Crystallization leads to a non “Fickian” redistribution, allowing an abrupt interface between the regions doped and undoped with B. Once the crystallization is ended, B diffuses through the layer in the type B regime with a coefficient which is in agreement with the literature data for diffusion in polycrystalline Si. Although the P distribution is homogeneous in the entire layer, for a temperature as high as 755 °C, P diffuses towards the region the most concentrated in B. The B and P interactions are interpreted as chemical interactions.