Growth characteristics of oxide precipitates in heavily doped silicon crystals

Abstract

The doping concentration dependence on the growth of oxide precipitates has been studied using transmission electron microscopy in phosphorus and boron-doped silicon crystals. Samples were annealed at 800 and 850 °C for 24–384 h in dry nitrogen. In phosphorus-doped silicon, the precipitate density is not affected by the doping concentration, and the growth of precipitates is controlled by the diffusion of oxygen. On the other hand, the precipitate growth is suppressed in heavily boron-doped silicon as compared with that of lightly boron-doped silicon.