Point-defect migration in crystalline Si: Impurity content, surface and stress effects

The results of several recent experiments aimed at assessing the room temperature migration properties of interstitials (I) and vacancies (V) in ion implanted crystalline Si are reviewed. We show that combining the results of ex-situ techniques (deep level transient spectroscopy and spreading resistance profilometry) and in-situ leakage current measurements new and interesting information can be achieved. It has been found that at room temperature I and V, generated by an ion beam, undergo fast long range migration (with diffusivities higher than 10(-11) cm(2)/sec) which is interrupted by trapping at impurities (C, O) or dopant atoms and by recombination at surface. Analysis of two-dimensional migration of point defects injected through a photolithographically defined mask shows that a strong I recombination (characterized by a coefficient of 30 mu m(-1)) occurs at the sample surface. Moreover, we have found that the strain field induced by an oxide or a nitride mask significantly affects defect migration and produces a strong anisotropy of the defect diffusivity tensor. Finally, using in-situ leakage current measuremens, performed both during and just after ion irradiation, the time scale of point defect evolution at room temperature has been determined and defect diffusivities evaluated. The implications of these results on our current understanding of defect and diffusion phenomena in Si are discussed.