Strategies to suppress A-center formation in silicon and germanium from a mass action analysis viewpoint

Abstract

We investigate the impact of tin (Sn) doping on the formation and the thermal stability of the vacancy-oxygen (VO or A-center) in the electron-irradiated Czochralski silicon (Si) and its conversion to the VO2 defects. Previous experimental studies are consistent with the viewpoint that Sn (and other oversized isovalent atoms) doping suppresses the formation of the A-center. The results are discussed in view of recent density functional theory calculations, whereas we employ mass action analysis to calculate the impact of isovalent dopants on the suppression of the A-center. We propose point defect engineering strategies to suppress the concentration of the deleterious A-centers in Si and in related materials such as germanium.