Si L-edge Research Articles

Energy loss spectra from silicon compounds: SiL edges

Electron energy loss microanalysis is of great interest for analysis of second phases containing light elements in semiconductor materials. Small precipitates (minimum dimension ∼10nm) in heat treated CZ-Si wafers were identified in-situ earlier as amorphous SiOx particles, and it was also noted that there was a marked change in the shape of the Si-L edge in spectra from the precipitate relative to those from the surrounding matrix.This work has been extended to include spectra from other Si compounds, to examine the shape change of the L edge when silicon is in different environments. All of the spectra shown here were taken at l00kV with fixed, convergent probe. The incident probe size on the specimens was ∼10nm. Many of the spectra was taken using a cryogenic stage with the specimen near -196°C, which made possible extended observations of a single area. All specimens were wedge shaped (crushed or ion-thinned), with spectra taken from thin edges.