Nano-scale analysis of precipitates in nitrogen-doped Czochralski silicon
Nitrogen-doped Czochralski (CZ) silicon wafers were heat treated with LoHi annealing in argon. Nanoscale defects were then examined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) in the Z-contrast mode, and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analyses using a field emission JEOL 2010 with a resolution below 2 . The structures of precipitates, stacking faults and interstitial aggregates were found to depend on their location relative to the wafer surface. Precipitate composition, strain at the interface and interface roughness were obtained and are discussed in connection with the point defects generated during crystal growth and modified during wafer annealing. An excellent correlation was found between Z-contrast line scans across the precipitates and the N to O concentration ratio determined with EELS. In the precipitate central region that ratio is between 1 and 6%, whereas at precipitate boundaries it reaches 17%.
czochralski silicon wafers nitrogen doping