Effect of e-h Pairs on the Stability of Bond-Center Hydrogen in Silicon

ORAL

Abstract

Hydrogen injected into silicon at low temperature resides in the bond-centered site, H$^{+}$[BC]. This is the most fundamental hydrogen related defect in many covalent semiconductors. Thermal annealing shows H$^{+}$[BC] stability up to 150K, and correlates with Si vacancy migration. We report the first observation of the decay of H$^{+}$[BC] due to e-h pairs induced by energetic ions. Thin single crystal silicon films containing H$^{+}$[BC] ($\sim $35$\mu $m) were fabricated to permit subsequent transmission of energetic protons, creating high e-h pair concentrations and minimal displacement damage. In-situ infrared studies revealed a 90{\%} reduction of H$^{+}$[BC] sites after a 1.8 MeV proton dose of 50$\mu $C/cm$^{2}$ at 80K. Recombination of e-h pairs at defect sites is known to cause vacancy diffusion providing another mechanism for loss of H$^{+}$[BC]. Our results show the effect of e-h pairs on H$^{+}$[BC] stability. We interpret this in terms of the e-h pair/vacancy interaction.

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Authors

  • Nageswara Rao Sunkaranam

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University

  • Sriram Dixit

    Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program, Vanderbilt University

  • Gunter Luepke

    Department of Applied Science, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, Department of Applied Science, College of William and Mary, Department of Applied Science, the College of William and Mary, The College of William and Mary

  • Norman Tolk

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University

  • Leonard Feldman

    Department of Physics and Astronomy \& Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program, Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Department of Physics and Astronomy \& Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235