The effect of boron diffusions on the defect density and recombination at the (111) silicon-silicon oxide interface

Abstract

A combination of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and minority carrier lifetime measurements is used to unambiguously demonstrate that the presence of a B diffusion layer at the surface of oxidized Si (111) wafers causes a significant increase in the interface defect density as well as interface recombination, compared to undiffused surfaces. EPR measurements show a nearly three-fold increase in the Pb center density, while the lifetime measurements indicate an increase in surface recombination activity by a factor of more than two, for B diffused samples with a sheet resistance of ∼250Ω∕◻◻.