Electron beam induced current investigations of active electrical defects in silicon due to reactive ion etching and reactive ion beam etching processes

Abstract

Reactive ion etching and reactive ion beam etching are common tools for anisotropic etch processes in silicon microdevice fabrication; but, unfortunately, they also create radiation damage in the etched surface. We have studied the electrically active defects by measuring the recombination of carriers with the help of the electron beam induced current (EBIC) mode of a secondary electron microscope. We have measured the temperature behavior of the samples by annealing studies and the temperature dependent EBIC signal for several p-doped silicon wafers and obtained different shaped curves. Theoretical EBIC models developed with the assumption of a reduced net carrier concentration in the etched areas agree with our experimental results.