Hydrogen-Defect Shallow Donors in Si

Abstract

The influence of different original Si crystals and neutron fluence on the formation of hydrogen-defect shallow donors in neutron-irradiated floating-zone silicon grown in hydrogen atmosphere (FZ Si:H2) is studied. The annealing behavior of neutron-irradiated floating-zone silicon grown in argon atmosphere (FZ Si:Ar), neutron-irradiated FZ Si:H2 kept for three years at room temperature (RT) and only fast-neutron-irradiated FZ Si:H2 reveals that shallow donors are directly related to hydrogen and defects, especially to thermal-neutron-radiation point defects. The maximum concentration of the shallow donors approaches to a stable value with an increase in neutron fluence. Some characteristics of the shallow donors are discussed.