Deep-level transient spectroscopy study on direct silicon bonded (1 1 0)/(1 0 0) interfacial grain boundary

Abstract

In this paper, the electrical properties of direct silicon bonded (1 1 0)/(1 0 0) silicon interfacial grain boundary (GB) have been investigated by deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) technique. The behavior of charge emission at the GB indicates that the GB states are localized. Since the hole capture unavoidably comes into the rate window to play an important role in the process of GB charge decay when the GB–DLTS signal reaches the maximum, the routine Arrhenius plot is not suitable to achieve the signature of the GB states. Then a double-pulse approach by subtracting the spectra, taken under different pulse voltages, has been applied to reveal the GB states in the energy range Ev + 0.34–0.42 eV with the hole capture cross-sections of 10−17–10−16 cm2. The obtained energy levels are close to the quasi-Fermi levels determined at the corresponding pulse voltages by current–voltage (I–V) measurements. These GB states are believed to be the intrinsic distorted bonds related to the GB.