Role of nitrogen related complexes in the formation of defects in silicon

Defect size and density distributions were obtained as a function of depth in nitrogen doped CZ silicon (N-CZ) following Hi-Lo-Hi and Lo-Hi annealing, using an oxygen precipitate profiler. The defects were also delineated by Wright etching and Nomarski optical microscopy on both cleaved and bevel polished samples. In addition to the enhanced precipitation and absence of voids previously reported for N-CZ Si, an unexpected mode of precipitation has been found near the annealed wafer surface, just above the traditional denuded zone. This oxynitride precipitate is discussed with regard to N-related complex interactions and point defect supersaturations/injection. High resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed that most precipitates have an octahedral shape with two distinct amorphous phases, which reflect a transition from an initial phase containing both N and O to one with primarily O, as verified with Z-contrast TEM and electron energy loss spectroscopy. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.