ON THE INTRINSIC GETTERING OF CU IN P-TYPE SILICON

The ability of high temperature oxygen precipitate to act as a gettering sink for copper impurities in p-type silicon substrates has been investigated by the use of resistivity, lifetime and infrared absorption spectroscopy measurements. Copper proved to be a donor impurity in Si and showed a low level of reaction with the oxygen precipitate. This level of reaction, which resulted in the emission of a small amount of interstitial oxygen, appears to be responsible for the poor ability of the high temperature oxygen precipitate to act as an efficient gettering sink for this impurity.