Model of boron diffusion from gas phase in silicon carbide

Abstract

Boron diffusion from the gas phase in silicon carbide is described on the basis of a two-component model. “Shallow” boron, i.e., boron at silicon sites, is a slow component with a high surface concentration. Its diffusivity is proportional to the concentration of positively charged intrinsic point defects, which are presumably interstitial silicon atoms. “Deep” boron, i.e., impurity-defect pairs of boron-carbon vacancy, is a fast component with lower surface concentration. The ratio between the surface concentrations of the components depends on the pressure of silicon or carbon vapors in the gas phase. The diffusion and interaction of components are described by the set of diffusion-reaction equations. The diffusion retardation observed on the concentration-profile tail is related to the capture of impurity-defect pairs and excess vacancies by traps of background impurities and defects.