Effect of annealing on the electrical properties of nitrogen-doped silicon single crystals grown by crucibleless zone melting

• Published in: Physics of the solid state Vol. 51; no. 11; pp. 2257 - 2263
• Main Authors: Voronkova, G. I., Batunina, A. V., Voronkov, V. V., Golovina, V. N., Gulyaeva, A. S., Tyurina, N. B., Mil’vidskiĭ, M. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.11.2009
• Subjects: Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Semiconductors and Dielectrics; Solid State Physics; 72.80.Cw; 72.20.Fr; 81.40.Rs
• ISSN: 1063-7834; 1090-6460
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063783409110109

The electrical properties of nitrogen-doped silicon single crystals of the n and p types grown by crucibleless zone melting and annealed at 680°C have been studied. It is shown that the annealing brings about the appearance, in the crystals, of nitrogen-containing centers, which form deep donor and acceptor levels in the band gap. The process is accompanied by an increase in the electrical resistivity; the increase is particularly substantial in the initially high-resistance single crystals. On the other hand, in slightly boron-doped single crystals of the n and p types, the conversion of the conduction type is observed. In a converted material of the n-type, the electron mobility is anomalously low, which demonstrates its high electrical spatial inhomogeneity. The energy of the deep acceptor level near E c − 0.35 eV introduced during annealing has been determined. The model explaining the phenomena observed is proposed.