Passivation of P-b0 and P-b1 interface defects in thermal (100) Si/SiO2 with molecular hydrogen

It is found that the passivation of both the P-b0 and P-b1 defects in (100)Si/SiO2 (grown at <750 degrees C) with molecular H-2 may well be described by the same defect- H-2 reaction-limited kinetic model applying to interfacial P-b defects in (111) Si/SiO2 grown at 850 degrees C. Yet, whereas P-b was typified by a single-valued activation energy E(a)=1.66 eV, both P-b0 and P-b1 are found to exhibit a Gaussian spread sigma(Ea)=0.15+/-0 03 eV around their respective mean E(a) values, determined as 1.51 and 1.57+/-0.04 eV. Such a spread complies with previous electron spin resonance data on stress-induced structural variations within the P-b bath. All three interface defects thus passivate comparably. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.