SOLUTION GROWTH OF INDIUM-DOPED SILICON

Indium-doped silicon has been grown from indium-rich solutions using a gradient-transport solution growth process. The growth temperatures were varied from 950‡ to 1300‡C to determine the solubility limits of indium in silicon. The maximum indium concentration obtained was 1.6×1018/cm3 at a growth temperature of 1300‡ but indications are that the maximum solubility is 2. 5×1018/cm3. The growth process is described by one-dimensional diffusion limited transport and predicts growth rates in excess of lcm/day at 1300‡C. Infrared absorption measurements were used to monitor the indium, oxygen and carbon concentrations, in addition to the shallower .indium: X defect found in the crystals. The solution-grown crystals were found to have a lower concentration of this shallower defect than melt grown crystals of the same indium concentration. The oxygen and carbon concentrations increased with the increased growth temperatures suggesting a solubility limited value. The shallower indium: X defect also increased with growth temperature, but the concentration was significantly lower than typically found in melt-grown crystals. The peak optical cross-section for indium was also determined to be 5.3×10-17cm2 from these measurements. © 1979 AIME.