Dissociation, transformation, and recombination of Si-H bonds in hydrogenated crystalline silicon determined by in situ micro-Raman spectroscopy -: art. no. 045206

In situ Raman measurements are applied on plasma hydrogenated Czochralski (Cz) silicon samples. The thermal evolutions of several hydrogen related defects, i.e., Si-H bonds (corresponding Raman peak at similar to2095 cm(-1)) at the thin surface layer of the sample, Si-H bonds (Raman peaks at similar to2105 and similar to2110 cm(-1)) at the inner surfaces of the hydrogen induced platelets (HIPs), and H-2 molecules (Raman peak at similar to4150 cm(-1)) in the open space of the HIPs are investigated. We find strong evidence for an Si-H bond dissociation and recombination at elevated temperatures (Tgreater than or equal to350 degreesC) and at room temperature (RT), respectively. The dissociation energies of about 2.2 and 2.4 eV (assuming a jump frequency of 10(13) s(-1)) for the Si-H bonds at the thin surface layer and at the inner surfaces of the HIPs are obtained, respectively. It is found that at RT the hydrogen atoms which are released at elevated temperatures are trapped again by the HIPs and passivate the silicon dangling bonds at the inner surfaces of the HIPs or form H-2 molecules in the open HIP volume, possibly relating to the basic mechanism of the hydrogen-induced exfoliation of the silicon wafer and the so-called "smart-cut" process.