Oxygen Precipitation in Conventional and Nitrogen Co-Doped Heavily Arsenic-Doped Czochralski Silicon Crystals: Oswald Ripening

Abstract

Oxygen precipitation (OP) behaviors in conventional and nitrogen co-doped heavily arsenic-doped Czocharalski silicon crystals subjected to low-high two-step anneals of 650 oC/8 h + 1000 oC/4-256 h have been comparatively investigated. Due to the nitrogen enhanced nucleation of OP during the low temperature anneal, much higher density of oxygen precipitates generated in the nitrogen co-doped specimens. With the extension of high temperature anneal, Oswald ripening of OP in the nitrogen co-doped specimens preceded that in the conventional ones. Moreover, due to the Oswald ripening effect, the oxygen precipitates in the conventional specimens became larger with a wider range of sizes. While, the sizes of oxygen precipitates in the nitrogen co-doped specimens distributed in a much narrower range with respect to the conventional ones.