Generation and annihilation of boron–oxygen-related recombination centers in compensated p- and n-type silicon

Abstract

The impact of boron–oxygen-related recombination centers as well as their defect kinetics have been intensely studied in boron-doped oxygen-rich p-type crystalline silicon. Experimental data for the defect in simultaneously boron- and phosphorus-doped compensated p- and n-type silicon, however, is sparse. In this study, we present time-resolved carrier lifetime measurements on Czochralski-grown silicon (Cz-Si) doped with both boron and phosphorus under illumination at 30 °C (defect generation) as well as at 200 °C in the dark (defect annihilation). The defect generation in compensated n-type Cz-Si is found to proceed on a similar time scale as the defect generation in (compensated) p-type Cz-Si. However, the shape of the carrier lifetime reduction during defect generation in compensated n-type silicon differs considerably from that in (compensated) p-type Cz-Si. The defect annihilation in compensated n-type Cz-Si is found to take up to 1000 times longer than in (compensated) p-type Cz-Si. In addition, we confirm a linear dependence of the normalized defect concentration Nt∗ on the net doping concentration p0 as well as a proportionality between the defect generation rate Rgen and the square of the net doping concentration p02 in compensated p-type Cz-Si. These results cannot be explained by the established BsO2i defect model, however, they agree with a recently proposed defect model in which the defect is composed of one interstitial boron atom and an interstitial oxygen dimer (BiO2i).