Divacancy-Oxygen and Trivacancy-Oxygen Complexes in Silicon: Local Vibrational Mode Studies

Abstract

Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy was used to study the evolution of multivacancy-oxygen-related defects in the temperature range 200-300 °C in Czochralski-grown Si samples irradiated with MeV electrons or neutrons. A clear correlation between disappearance of the divacancy (V2) related absorption band at 2767 cm-1 and appearance of two absorption bands positioned at 833.4 and 842.4 cm-1 at 20 K (at 825.7 and 839.1 cm-1 at room temperature) has been found. Both these two emerging bands have previously been assigned to a divacancy-oxygen defect formed via interaction of mobile V2 with interstitial oxygen (Oi) atoms. The present study shows, however, that the two bands arise from different defects since the ratio of their intensities depends on the type of irradiation. The 842.4 cm-1 band is much more pronounced in neutron irradiated samples and we argue that it is related to a trivacancy-oxygen defect (V3O) formed via interaction of mobile V3 with Oi atoms or/and interaction of mobile V2 with VO defects.