Passivation of P b0 and P b1 interface defects in thermal (100) Si/SiO2 with molecular hydrogen

Abstract

It is found that the passivation of both the Pb0 and Pb1 defects in (100)Si/SiO2 (grown at <750 °C) with molecular H2 may well be described by the same defect- H2 reaction-limited kinetic model applying to interfacial Pb defects in (111) Si/SiO2 grown at 850 °C. Yet, whereas Pb was typified by a single-valued activation energy Ea=1.66 eV, both Pb0 and Pb1 are found to exhibit a Gaussian spread σEa=0.15±0.03 eV around their respective mean Ea values, determined as 1.51 and 1.57±0.04 eV. Such a spread complies with previous electron spin resonance data on stress-induced structural variations within the Pb bath. All three interface defects thus passivate comparably.