Defect dynamics in the presence of oxygen in growing Czochralski silicon crystals

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 303; no. 2; pp. 438 - 448
• Main Author: Kulkarni, Milind S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.05.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: A1. Defects; A1. Microdefects; A1. Nucleation; A1. Point defects; A2. Czhochralski method; B2. Semiconducting silicon; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Defects and impurities in crystals; microstructure; Exact sciences and technology; Growth from melts; zone melting and refining; Materials science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Point defects (vacancies, interstitials, color centers, etc.) and defect clusters; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Theory and models of film growth; A2. Czhochralski method; A1. Point defects; A1. Microdefects; 81.10.Aj; A1. Nucleation; 81.10.Fq; 81.05.Hd; A1. Defects; B2. Semiconducting silicon; Crystal growth; Crystal defects; Experimental data; Point defects; Vacancies; Nucleation; Semiconductor materials; 81.10.Fq; 81.10.Aj; 81.05.Hd; Interstitials; Microelectronics; Al. Defects; Al. Microdefects; Al. Nucleation; Al. Point defects; A2. Czhochralski method; B2. Semiconducting silicon; Transients; Experimental result; Silicon; Diffusion; Quantitative chemical analysis; Crystal growth from melts
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2006.12.021

Modern Czochralski (CZ) silicon crystals contain various crystallographic imperfections known as microdefects that affect the yield and the performance of microelectronic devices. These microdefects are primarily the aggregates of the intrinsic point defects of silicon, vacancies and self-interstitials, and of oxygen (silicon dioxide). The distribution of microdefects in a CZ crystal is determined by the complex dynamics influenced by various reactions involving the intrinsic point defects and oxygen, and their transport. Two-dimensional oxygen influenced transient defect dynamics in growing CZ crystals is quantified and solved. The Frenkel reaction and the reactions between vacancies and oxygen are considered. The formation of all microdefects is described by the classical nucleation theory. Microdefects are assumed to be spherical clusters that grow by a diffusion-limited kinetics. The predictions of the model agree well with experimental data. Various predictions of the model and experimental results are discussed.