Identification of Defects in Semiconductors SEMICONDUCTORS AND SEMIMETALS Volume 51B
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Identification of Defects in Semiconductors SEMICONDUCTORS AND SEMIMETALS Volume 51B
Semiconductors and Semimetals A Treatise
Edited by R. K. Willurdson CONSULTING PHYSICIST
Eicke R. Weber DEPARTMENT OF MATERIALS SCIENCE
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON AND MINERAL ENGINEERING UNIVERSITYOF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY
Identification of Defects in Semiconductors SEMICONDUCTORS AND SEMIMETALS Volume 51B Volume Editor
MICHAEL STAVOLA DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
LEHIGH UNIVERSITY BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA
ACADEMIC PRESS
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Contents
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LISTOF CONTRIBUTORS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ix xiii
Chapter 1 Optical Measurements of Point Defects
Gordon Davies 1. SCOPEOF THE CHAPTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. OVERVIEW OF THE TECHNIQUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Nomenclature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Optical absorption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Photoluminescence generated by above-hand-gap excitation . . . . . . . . 4. Cuthodoluminescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Photoluminescence generated by below-band-gap excitation . . . . . . . . 6. Absolute luminescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I11 . CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Chemical incorporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Stable isotopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Unstable isotopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Photoluminescence excitation by x-ruq’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV . STRUCTURAL IDENTIFICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Uniaxial stress perturbutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Electric Jeld perturbations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. The Zeemuneffect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Polarized luminescence measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Reorientation effects and multistahility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V . RADIATIVELIFETIME EFFECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Magnitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Temperature dependence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Delayed luminescence detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Excitation power effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VI . SPATIAL LOCALIZATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII . ROLEOF VIBRATIONS I N “ELECTRONIC” TRANSITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Single modes of vibration (local modes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V
2 3 3 3 8 10
12 13 14 14
16 20 22 23 28 36 38 39 41
45 45
49 51
53 54 56 51
vi
CONTENTS
Rand modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Khronic coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isotope &crs on uihriitionul sirlehrrntis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zero-plionon isotope effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VIII . E L t C I R O N l C EXCITEIISTATkS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Electron effective mass states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Hole-ejiectice muss stutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Applicubility qf the modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1x. ZERO-PHONON LINESHAPES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X . CONCLUSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. 3. 4. 5.
63 66 68 70 74 74 81 82 84 87 89
Chapter 2 Defect Identification Using Capacitance Spectroscopy P . M . Moonry I . INTKODUC'TION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . CHARACTERISTICS OF DEEPLEVELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111. C A P A C l l ANI'f: SI'E('TR0SCOPY METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Tronsicn/ Crrpuci/cincr Mutrsurements . . . . . . . 2. Decl, Lrvcl Trawicnt Slxctroscupy . . . . . . . . 3. Instrutnmtii/ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1V. Dtt.~(.iIDENTIFICATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. De/>c/ Conrp1e.x-csin Si . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. D X Cenrers in I l l - V C'oinpound Serriicondnctor Alloys V . CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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93 94 98 99 107 115 119 120 131 146 146
Chapter 3 Vibrational Spectroscopy of Light Element Impurities in Semiconductors
Michurl Stavola 1. INTKOI)IJCIION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. LOCALVIBRATIONAL M O D E S A N D VIURA I IONAL SPECTROSCOPY . . . . . . . . 1 . Model.t/i)r Irnzpirritj, Vibrutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. It?frured Absorption Sprctroscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Free C(irriers iind Clirirge Strrtr Efects in D o p d St.micor~ductors . . . . . 4 . Raniun Spectroscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111. ISOTOPESHIFTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. O.x,vgm ii7 Si und Ge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . lrnpuriti~sin Compound Semiconrhrctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . De/ic t Coinple.rr~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV. ANHARMONICITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . O t ~ ~ - ~ i i ~ ~ e i ~Models. . s i u n a lf o r K~rlroReti-rontuiningComp1ere.s . . . . . . . 2. 1748 c i t ~ Combination Mode ~ f i n t r r s t i t i dOvygrn in Si . . . . . . . . 3 . Ferrni Rosoncrnc~e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v . SYMMI-TKY STRESS ALIGNMENT.A N D REORIENTATION KINETICS FROM UNIAXIAL STRESS DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Stress-inclirceil Splitting of Vibro/ional Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Kinctics o/ Defect Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
153 154 154
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160
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163 165 167 168 173 183 193 195 201 203
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206 207 211
vii
CONTENTS 3. Groundstore Energy Shift
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Chapter 4 Defect Processes in Semiconductors Studied at the Atomic Level by Transmission Electron Microscopy P . Schwander. W.-D. Ruu. C. Kisielowski. M . Grihelyuk and A . Ourmazd 1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I1. INFORMATION FROM HRTEM LATTICEIMAGES . . . . . 1. Approaches to Qucintitntive HRTEM . . . . . . . . 111. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSISBY REAL-SPACEM~THODS. . . 1 . Principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Implrmentut ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I V . APPLICATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Difu.sion in AIGuAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Difusion in GeSi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. SilSiO, Interjuciul Roughness . . . . . . . . . . . . V . CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REWRENCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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226 228 229 231 232 233 244 248 248 253 255 251 258
I . INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . Cross-sectionul Scanning Tunneling Microscopy ( X S T M ) . . . . . . . . 2. Requirements and Limitations qf’XSTM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. IMAGING AN11 S P t C T R O S C O P l C TECHNIQUES. INSTRUMENTATION . . . . . . . 1. Scunning Tunneling Microscopy Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Cross-sectionulSranning Tunncling Microscopy ( X S T M ) . . . . . . . . I11. THEGaAs(110) SURFACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1V . SHALLOW DEFECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. p-Dopunts in GuAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. S i n GaAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Dopant Projfling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V . DEEPLEVEL DEFECTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Arsenic Antisite in GaAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Vucuncies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VI . COMPLEX DEFECTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Zn- Vacancy Defect Complexes in InP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Arsenic Clusters in LT-GaAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Compunsution Mechani.sms in Si-Doped GuAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . V I I . CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REFERENCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
262 262 . 263 264 . 265 . 265 . 261 . 267 270 212 272 213 271 282 282 283 288 . 288 290 . 291 293 294
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Chapter 5 Scanning Tunneling Microscopy of Defects in Semiconductors
Nikos D . Juger und Eicke R . Weher .
viii
CONTENTS
Chapter 6 Perturbed Angular Correlation Studies of Defects
Thomus Wichert 1.
I N TROI>UCTION
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1 . Anulyticul Tecliniques and Srw~ifivitirs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Rutliouciive I . ~ ~ t o p e.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Hjycrjitie Inteructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. The Perturhed y-;~ Angulirr Correlution Tc.clniique . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Rtrtliouctive Probe Atotns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . E,xperinientul A.specis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111. SUBSTITUTIONAL DOPANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Donor- Accepior Pairing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Lurtice Siies ~If’lsoluietlProhe A i o n l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Clitsiering of’DfJpunts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Effect qf Chemical Trunsmuiution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Iv . LIGHTELEMENTS A N D TRANSITION METALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . Hydrogen in Elenientul Setnicontluciors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Hjdrogon in III- V Setniconductors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Trunsition Met& . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V . INTRINSICDEFECTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Irrudiution und Quenrhing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Single Recoil P roccss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. O.-stoichiotiietrj, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V I . SUMMARY AND O U T L O O K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ACKNOWLEDGE MEN.^ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REFER~. NCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INDEX CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN
THIS
SERIES
.
. . . .
297 298 299 300 302 305 316 320 322 324 337 340 342 351 352 365 372 382 382 388 393 400 401 401
407 419
Preface This is the second of two volumes on the identification of defects in semiconductors. The purpose of these volumes is to bring together chapters by leading researchers on methods used to determine defect properties. Chapter authors have prepared contributions that explain the fundamentals of the various measurement techniques and their interpretation at a level that should enable a reader to understand the current literature. The application of each technique is also illustrated by several modern examples. Thus, the many advances in the methods used to study defects in semiconductors are explained by expert practitioners, and current problems are discussed from several perspectives. It is hoped that these volumes will be a valuable reference for anyone who is interested in the characterization of semiconductor materials. In Chapter 1, Davies discusses absorption and luminescence spectroscopies and their application to semiconductor defect studies. The atoms in a defect can be identified from isotope shifts of the optical transitions. Additional perturbations, such as uniaxial stress, electric fields, or magnetic fields, can provide information about defect symmetry. An introduction is provided to the models commonly used to understand the electronic transitions of defects and the interaction of the electronic states with the lattice. In Chapter 2, Mooney discusses capacitance spectroscopy, an important method for determining the electrical properties of deep level defects. When correlated with the results of other identification methods, or combined with additional perturbations such as uniaxial stress, capacitance spectroscopy provides a powerful method to associate electrical properties with specific defect structures. Defect reactions can be conveniently followed, with the added benefit that the defect charge state can be controlled easily. The vibrational spectroscopy of the local modes of light element impurities is surveyed by the editor in Chapter 3. The frequency shifts of the vibrational lines that result from isotopic substitutions provide a means to ix
X
PREI~ACL
identify the vibrating impurity, its nearest neighbors, and, in favorable cases, to determine local symmetry. Vibrational spectroscopy has the advantage that the defects being studied need not be electrically active or paramagnetic, making it complementary to other methods. Chapters 4 and 5 introduce the use of high resolution microscopies to probe defects and defect processes. In Chapter 4, Schwander and others survey the recent advances in transmission electron microscopy that allow quantitative concentration and composition information to be derived from image contrast. Interface roughness and diffusion can be probed with near-atomic resolution. In Chapter 5, Jiger and Weber discuss scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) as a probe of defect properties. The STM measurements made on semiconductor surfaces created by cleaving in ultrahigh vacuum permit individual point defects to be imaged in real space. This exciting area is in its infancy, but STM has already demonstrated its potential to provide a new kind of information about semiconductor defects. In Chapter 6, Wichert discusses perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy (PAC), a new method in semiconductor defect studies based upon nuclear physics. In PAC, one follows the nuclear spin precession of an unstable nuclear isotope that has been introduced into the semiconductor sample. A surprisingly large number of defects can be formed in which one of the components is a radioactive probe nucleus. The electric field gradient at the probe nucleus is measured in the PAC experiment to provide a fingerprint of the defect and structural information. The information derived from several experimental and theoretical methods is often necessary to develop a complete picture of a defect’s microscopic properties (providing one of the motivations for assembling these volumes). The same defect is sometimes discussed in several chapters, but from the different vantage points offered by the measurement technique being used. Thus, it becomes important to confirm that different experimental methods do indeed probe the same defect. The use of uniaxial stress in conjunction with the various spectroscopic methods to determine defect properties appears as a common theme in several chapters and provides a means to correlate the spectroscopic signatures observed by different techniques. Another recent approach discussed in this volume is the use of unstable isotopes in conjunction with other techniques such as optical spectroscopy or capacitance spectroscopy. In this case, the disappearance of a defect that contains an unstable isotope and the appearance of its decay products, on a timescale determined by the half-life of the unstable nucleus, provides an identification of a defect atom and a means to correlate results obtained by different experimental methods. In spite of this field’s long history, the study of defects and their properties continues to be important and exciting. The demands of advanced proces-
PREFACE
xi
sing, new materials, and new applications inevitably lead to challenging defect problems and advances in the methods used to solve these problems. I thank the authors who have conveyed, with their excellent chapters, the excitement of the research performed on semiconductor defects.
MICHAEL STAVOLA
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
List of Contributors
Numbers in parenthesis indicate the pages on which the authors’ contribution begins.
GORDONDAVIES ( l), Physics Department, King’s College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS. M. GRIBELYUK (93, 2251, Corporate Reseurch Laboratories, North Central Expressway 13588, Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, T X 75243.
NIKOSD. JAGER(153, 261), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd., Berkeley, CA 94720. C. KISIELOWSKI (225), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, Bldg. 621203, Berkeley, CA 94720. P. M. MOONEY (931, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY10598.
A. OURMAZD (225, 297), Institute ,for Semiconductor Physics, Walter-Korsing-Str. 2, 15230 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany and Technical University of Brandenburg- Cottbus, 030 13 Cottbus, Germany. W. D. RAU(225), Institute for Semiconductor Physics, Walter-Korsing-Str. 2, 15230 Frankfurt (Oder) Germany.
P. SCHWANDER (225), Institute jor Semiconductor Physics, Walter-KorsingStr. 2, 15230 Frankjurt (Oder) Germany.
MICHAELSTAVOLA (153), Department of Physics, Lehigh University, 16 Memorial Drive, East, Bethlehem, PA 1801.5. xiii
xiv
LISTOF
CONTRIBUTORS
EICKER. WEBER(26 l), Muterials Science Depurtment, University qf Calijorniu n f Berkeley, Berkeky, C A 94720.
THOMAS WICHERT(297), Technische Physik Geh 38, 0-66041 Saarbrucken, Fe&rul Repuhlic of’ Germnny.
SEMICONDUCTORS A N D SEMIMETALS. VOL 5 1 8
CHAPTER 1
Optical Measurements of Point Defects Gordon Davies PHYSICS I h I ‘ A K l M k K T
KING’SCOLIC(;L LONDON STKANIJ.
LOhlXJh
U N I T 1 1) KIN(IIXJM
I . SCOPEOF THE CHAPTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. OVkRVIEW OF THE TECHNIQUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
111.
IV .
V.
VI . VI1.
VIII .
1. Nonienclarure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Optirul ahsorption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Photc~luminescenceyeneruted by uboae-batzd-giip excitation . . . . . . . . 4 . Cathodoluminescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Below-Band-Gap Photoexcitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. Ahsolute luminescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHEMICAL IIXNTIFICATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . Chemicul incorparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Stuhle isotopes 3 . Unstuhle isotopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Photoluminescence excitation hy x-ruys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . STRUCTURAL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . Uniuxial stress perturhutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Electric field perturhutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. The Zeeaiun gffect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Polarized luminesrenre meu.surrments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Reorientation $errs and multistability RADIATIVELIFETIME EFFECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Muynitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Temperature dependence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Drluyed luminescence detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Excituiiori power 6ffecf.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPATIALLOCALIZATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ROLEOF VIBRATIONS I N “ELECTRONIC” TRANSITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Single tnodes of vibrarion (Iocu1 modes) 2. Bandmodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Mhronic coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . Isotope ejects on ~.ibrutionulsidehands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Zero-phonon isotope ejrects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ELECTRONIC EXCITEDSTATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 3 3 3 8 10 12 13 14 14 16 20 22 23 28 36 38 39 41 45 45 49 51 53 54 56 57 63 66 68 70 74
1 Copyright C. 1998 by Academic Press All rights of reproduction in any form reserved ISBN 0-12-752165-8 ISSN 0080-8784 $30.00
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GORDONDAVIES I . Elecrrori effectiiie rnuss states 2. Hole-q‘jectiue maxs stutes . 3. Applicubility OJ the niodelirig IX. ZERO-PHONON LINESHAPES . . X. CONCLUSION. . . . . . . . Refcrerlccs . . . . . . . . .
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I. Scope of the chapter Luminescence and optical absorption provide powerful methods of obtaining microscopic data on defects in semiconductor materials when they work. This qualifier is inserted to make it clear from the outset that in some cases optical techniques are incapable of providing data. One example is when the defect one wishes to investigate does not luminescence under the conditions being used, perhaps because the temperature of the crystal is either too high or too low. However, in favorable cases optical techniques can give unambiguous information on the chemistry of the defect, place very strong constraints on the structure of the defect and, in contrast to most techniques discussed in this book, easily provide very detailed information on the properties of the excited electronic states of the defect. This chapter presents a survey of the ideas involved when optical methods are used to probe optical centers, so that someone new to the field can pick up some knowledge of both the techniques and the language. It is not intended to go into great detail on the theoretical aspects, but rather to illustrate the common techniques and properties by examples. The chapter begins with a general overview of the techniques. In Section 111 we examine how they are applied to chemical identification of the optical centers. (From this point we will use “optical center” or “center” to refer to the point defect we are interested in studying, to distinguish it from the other defects that may be present in the crystal). In Section IV we examine the use of optical methods to derive structural information on the center, omitting the magnetic resonance techniques, which are discussed in detail in dedicated chapters in Volume 51A of this series. One key parameter in studying an optical center is the lifetime of its luminescence, as discussed in Section V. Another important characterization of a center is to determine its spatial location in the crystal, and the use of optical techniques for this purpose are described in Section VI. To understand the spectra produced by the centers we need to look into the role of vibrations in the luminescence spectra, Section VII, and in Section VIII we will also consider some aspects of the excited states that are accessible by experiment. Finally, we see that very useful information can be derived from the lineshapes of the zero-phonon lines of luminescence spectra, Section IX. ~
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
3
The examples used in this chapter will be taken from the two group I V semiconductors whose luminescence centers are best understood: silicon and diamond. This chapter will concentrate on the properties of isolated centers rather than on processes involving more than one center, such as donoracceptor pair spectra (see, e.g., Schmid ~t al, 1983, for pair spectra in silicon). 11. Overview of the techniques
1. NOMENCLATURE
Before outlining the available standard techniques of optical studies of centers it is useful to list the techniques. To generate luminescence requires an input of energy; the method of providing that energy determines the prefix to the name of the luminescence technique. Thus, triboluminescence uses friction to input the energy, electroluminescence utilizes injection of charges, cathodoluminescence uses an electron beam to excite the crystal, and photoluminescence employs a beam of photons. In scientific studies of optical centers, the primary tools are photo- and cathodoluminescence. Triboluminescence and the luminescence emitted by breaking crystals tend to be transitory and thus are of little interest here. (Recent work on breaking silicon can be traced through Busch et al, 1996). Thermoluminescence (light emitted on heating a sample by the ionization of traps) is of little current scientific interest for semiconductor research, although of considerable importance in archeological dating. Phosphorescence (very long-lived light emission), which can similarly arise from the slow ionization of centers after excitation, is not discussed here, although there is current work ( e g , Wantanabe et ul., 1997). Cathodoluminescence is especially useful for wide-band-gap semiconductors; electrons of a few tens of kiloelectronvolts are easily handled and can generate electron-hole pairs across any size of energy gap met within a semiconductor. Photoluminescence requires simpler equipment, with fewer requirements for vacuum spaces. Photoluminescence has the considerable advantage that the exciting light can be polarized, and can be tuned in energy (for example, to lie above or below the band gap of the host lattice). Both cathodo- and photoluminescence allow for easy time-dependence studies of the luminescence (Section V). 2. OPTICAL ABSORPTION
Luminescence has the very important advantage that it can be an extremely sensitive technique, allowing some centers to be observed at a concentration of less than one in many billions of host atoms. However,
4
GORDON DAVIES
optical absorption by the center is the more fundamental technique: it is not affected, for example, by nonradiative processes at the centers. In absorption, a beam of light is focused on one face of the sample, and the beam transmitted through the sample is examined spectroscopically. The situation is shown in Fig. la, where I, is the transmitted intensity of light at a photon frequency v, and I , is the incident intensity at the same frequency. In the case of a gaseous sample of thickness r the absorption coefficient p is simply determined by
Note that the logarithm is the natural log to the base e. The software of many spectrometers allows the “absorbance” A of the sample, defined as
to be calculated, where the logarithm is to base 10, and there is no allowance for the thickness of the sample. When using a new spectrometer or new software. be warned.
(b)
(1 - R)A0exp(-pt/2)exp(-iknt) (1 - R)RA, exp(-3pt/2) exp(-3iknt) (1 - R)R2A,exp( - 5 4 2 ) exp( -5iknt)
t FIG. 1. (a) Transmission through a norireHecting medium allows the absorption to be defined as / I = l r ~ ( / ~ ~ / / , ) / r . With reflections, the transmitted amplitude is the sum of phaseshifted waves (b) as in Eq. ( 3 ) .
1
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
5
This simple equation is in any case wrong for a solid sample. There may be significant reflections occurring at each face, so that a fraction r of the intensity is reflected at the normal incidence of the light. The detected signal is built up from individual multiply reflected beams, each of which is phase-shifted by the different optical path-length in the solid Fig. lb. The total transmitted intensity is
where k is the wavenumber of the light in a vacuum and n is the refractive index of the crystal. The cosine term describes the interference oscillation in the signal, which can obscure absorption lines. The fringes can be reduced by polishing the sample into a wedge shape or by tilting it so that it is not normal to the incident light. Equation (3) reduces to Eq. (1) if the absorption is so high that the reflected beams are rapidly attenuated in a double pass through the crystal, apart from the multiplying factor (1 - r)’, which simply produces an offset in the absorption spectrum because then p (l/t) ln(Io/lc) ln(1 - r)’. Otherwise reflections should be allowed for (and rarely are), using the frequency-dependent reflection coefficient. Note that I , enters Eq. (2) in the denominator, and so must be known accurately. If the absorption is so strong that Zz/lodecreases below 0.1, then we must expect errors in the absorption coefficient. The reason why we want to know the absorption coefficient accurately is that the absorption (defined appropriately) is proportional to the concentration of the centers in the crystal, subject to constraints such as the centers being homogeneously distributed in the crystal. By “the absorption defined appropriately” it is meant that the optical spectra we are concerned with in this chapter are always produced by transitions between electronic states. In a monatomic gas, the absorption spectrum would take the form of a series of very sharp lines. The lines would have a finite width, produced by the intrinsic lifetime broadening of the state, or collision broadening, or whatever. Even in this simple example of a monatomic gas, the absorption lines have a finite spectral width, and so the appropriate measure of the absorption is to integrate the absorption coefficient across the extent of the line. For an optical center in a crystal the electronic transition is usually spread out by the vibronic coupling (Section VII). Again, a suitable measure of the total absorption is to integrate the absorption coefficient across the entire optical band that is being produced by the electronic transition. The most useful expression relating the integrated absorption to the concentration N of the centers is derived by detailed balance for the optical absorption and luminescence processes. In SI units, assuming the Lorentz
-
+
GORDON DAVIES
6
correction for the effective electric field, the equation is
This form appears to be accurate to within a factor of 2 for the localized centers found in diamond (Davies et ul., 1997), although an effective field of EeIf 1.3E is better for the more diffuse states usually found at centers in silicon (Bohnert e l ul., 1993). In Eq. (4)g i and g, are the degeneracies of the initial and final states of the luminescence transition, and z is the radiative lifetime of the transition, in the absence of any nonradiative processes. t will be discussed in Section V. However, even though z may not be known, the equation shows that the integrated absorption is strictly proportional to the concentration of the centers in a homogeneous crystal, and this fact allows useful quantitative work to be done, for example, as discussed in Section 111.1 on the production of centers. We will see in the next subsections that the quantitative attribute of absorption measurements contrasts strongly with luminescence measurements. We have noted that an absorption band may have a considerable width in a crystal as a result of “vibronic processes.” To get a quantitative measure of the absorption it may be better to use some appropriate part of the band. In particular it may be useful to limit measurements only to the “zerophonon line.” This term will be defined in Section VII, but can be regarded as being produced by an electronic transition between two electronic states, see Figure 2. At low temperature, the shapes of zero-phonon lines are frequently given not by Gaussian or Lorentzian shapes but by a profile midway between them
-
I ( v )= I/( 1
+ 4(2’Ip- I)
(yyr
r is the full width at half height. This lineshape is sometimes refered to as the “Pearson VII” function. If the parameter p has the value 1 then the lineshape is Lorentzian, and as p + 03 the lineshape tends to Gaussian. A fit to experimental data for the 969 meV zero-phonon line in silicon is shown in Fig. 2, with p = 2.5 (Davies and do Carmo, 1981). A particularly convenient form of Eq. (5) is obtained when p = 2, giving I ( v ) = u/(b
+ (vo -
v)2)2
(6)
where the line peaks at frequency vo, and has a peak height of Z(v,) = a/b2,a full width at half height of r = 2 J m ) , and an integrated area of
MEASUREMENTS OF POINTDEFECTS 1 OPTICAL
r-1 0.2
7
I
-
-
i 0
969.25
969.5
969.75
Photon energy (mev) FIG. 2. (a) The absorption spectrum of the zero-phonon line of an optical center in silicon measured at 2 K. The center contains two C atoms and one unique Si atom. The line shows the measured absorption and the dots are the spectrum calculated assuming that the lineshape is as Eq. (5) with p = 2.5, and that the Si atom may be a 28Si atom (component “l”), or a 29Si atom (component “2”) or a 3”Si atom (component “3”). (b) The spectrum measured in photoluminescence is distorted, with the main peak reduced in intensity relative to the weaker components, because the luminescence can be resonantly absorbed by the centers. After Davies and do Carmo (1981).
1.9O1(v0)T.This lineshape, with p = 2, is numerically extremely close to the Holtzmark lineshape, obtained from inverse Fourier transform of exp( - l / ~ ) ~ ’ that ~ ) , is, from the Levy distribution with exponent 3/2. If we want to obtain the area of the line by integrating it then it is very important that the zero level of absorption in the line is correctly defined. For example, note that 28% of the total area of a Lorentzian lies below 10% of its total height, so that errors in the zero level must be minimized. It may be better to multiply the height by the width to get a measure of the area, especially if we are confident that the lineshape is the same in the different samples of interest. What determines the lineshapes at low temperatures will be discussed in Section IX. With increasing temperature the lineshapes are usually broadened by a Lorentzian component, so that the observed lineshape is the convolution of Eq. ( 5 ) with the Lorentzian thermal component. We may want to know the
8
GORDONDAVIES
L /
Lorentzian width FIG. 3. Thermal broadening of zero-phonon lines is of Lorentzian lineshape [i.e., p = 1 in Eq. (5). The width of the Lorentzian thermal broadening is given on the horizontal axis so that an infinitely sharp line would be broadened to the width shown by the line W. The convolution of the thermal broadening with a Lorentzian of width unity results in another LorcntLian line whose width is simply the sum of the two Lorentzians (upper straight line). The convolution of R Lorentzian with the commonly observed lineshape of Eq. ( 6 ) results in a spectral feature whose width is given by the thicker line.
magnitude of that thermal component. The total width is not the sum of the two linewidths but can be derived from the convolution of the two lineshapes and is given in Fig. 3.
3. PHOTOLUMINESCENCE GENERATED BY ABOVE-BAND-GAP EXCITATION
Photoluminescence may be generated by excitation with photons whose energy is above or below the energy gap of the host lattice. The results are significantly different. We take first above-band-gap excitation. The absorption coefficient for above-band-gap light is typically high, so
9
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
that the energy is deposited near the surface of the crystal. For example, the absorption coefficient for silicon is shown in Fig. 4 over a wide range of energies for room temperature. (Data for lower photon energies derived from luminescence measurements are given by Daub and Wurfel, 1995.) If silicon is excited by an Ar' laser operating at 2.41 eV, the excitation decreases exponentially into the crystal [Eq. (l)] with a decay length of l/,u = 1 pm. Using a Kr' laser at 1.84 eV increases 1/11 to 5 pm, and changing to the near ultraviolet (UV) only reduces the length to about 0.5 pm. The absorption of above-band-gap light is by the host lattice, within a few micrometers of the surface. We will return to the spatial implications in Section VI. Here we follow the energetics of the process. The immediate end-point of the excitation is the creation of free electrons
1
2
3
4
5
Photon energy (eV) FIG. 4. The absorption coefficient of pure crystalline silicon measured at 10 and 300 K. After Jellison and Modine (1982).
10
GOKDON DAVIES
and holes in the lattice. They may partially recombine to form excitons, as long as the temperature is low enough that the excitons are not ionized, because in silicon, for example, the electron and hole are bound together by only 14.3 f 0.5 meV (Shaklee and Nahory, 1970). As silicon is an indirect gap semiconductor, the exciton lifetime can be considerable, with values over 6 0 p s being reported (Merle et a/., 1978). In that time the excitons can diffuse far enough that they may be captured by an optical center, so that the energy of the exciton is inserted into the center-in other words the center has been put into an excited electronic state. We expect that the energy levels of molecular systems depend on the particular elements making up the molecule, and so (in the great majority of cases) the energy of the luminescence emitted as the center deexcites is unambiguously characteristic of the particular species of optical center. It is this specificity that gives optical measurements their power in studies of defects in semiconductors -if we observe an optical transition of a certain energy, it will almost always indicate that there is one particular species of optical center in the crystal. From this outline we identify the following problems:
a. Luminescence, especially in an indirect gap semiconductor, can occur a substantial distance from the point of excitation. b. The input energy may be captured by many species of defect, not simply by the center of interest, or by no defect at all (when free-exciton emission will be observed). Consequently, the luminescence intensity emitted by a center is not, in general, directly proportional to the concentration of the center, in contrast to the absorption technique (Section 11.1). c. When the energy has been captured by a center, the luminescence intensity is affected by the presence of any nonradiative processes. Such processes will be discussed in Section V.
4. CATHODOLUMINESCENCE
Cathodoluminescence is typically generated using a beam of electrons of energy of a few tens of kiloelectronvolts. When the electrons enter the crystal they can interact with the nuclei and with the electrons of the crystal; both types of particle have similar magnitudes of charges so that similar impulses p are transferred to either type from the incident electron. The kinetic energy of the recoiling particle p2/2rn is considerably greater for the electrons (of small rn) than for the nuclei, so that the energy loss is primarily through excitation of the electrons of the crystal. The rate of energy loss per unit length by a nonrelativistic electron of energy E = rnu2/2 is
1
dE
-_dX
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
ne4 [In(mu2) - ln(21) - i l n 2 4lrE,2mv2
-~
+ 31
11
(7)
Here I is the mean excitation potential of the atoms and n is the density of electrons in the lattice. For example, numerical integration of Eq. (7) for diamond ( n = 1.06 x lo3" m-3 and I = 81 eV) results in a total pathlength L (pm) of an electron of incident energy V(keV) of
L - 0.018V'.825pm
(8)
to 0.1 pm accuracy for 5 < V < 70 keV. For example, a 10 keV electron travels 1.4 pm and, for V = 50 keV, L = 23 pm. The distance L is the total distance traveled, but the path is convoluted by the scattering processes. The majority of the energy is deposited at depths between 0.4 L and 0.8 L and in a roughly spherical volume, giving an excitation volume of about 10pm in diameter for V = 50 keV (Yacobi and Holt, 1986). This limits the spatial resolution of the technique, and a further loss of resolution comes from migration of the excitons, which are produced following the creation of the electrons and holes. The sequence of exciton capture and the production of luminescence follows as in the previous subsection. In a head-on collision an electron of kinetic energy E and mass m can transfer an energy
T
= 2(E
+ mc2)E/Mc2
(9)
to a lattice atom of mass M , and for electrons of a few tens of kiloelectronvolts the energy transfer is below the threshold for damage; for example, for Si the threshold is E 150 keV (Canham, 1988). However, damage can be caused by a cathodoluminescence beam, as a result of ions being accelerated to the sample. In the case of Si this effect has been investigated by Canham and Lightowlers (1986). They found that an electron beam of energy 20 to 60 keV can create di-carbon centers, which are known to be produced when a carbon interstitial atom Ci migrates to a substitutional carbon atom C,. Consequently, this low-energy electron beam was producing Ci atoms. When they used a sample doped with 13Cand 12C in the ratio (4.5 0.5) : 1, they found that, especially at low beam energies, the Ci atoms were primarily I2C atoms, identifying their source as outside the crystal. (See Fig. 5.) Ions can be carried down the electron beam, and implanted into the sample. To avoid this source of damage, the electron beam can be bent onto the sample, so that the more massive ions travel straight past it. Surface contaminants can also be driven into a sample during high-energy electron bombardment, allowing, for example, SiGe alloys to be constructed
-
12
GORDONDAVIES
5
0
ItI 0
Bulk mediated
I
I
1
20
1
I
40
I
60
Electron beam energy (keV) Fici. 5. Ratio of the intensities of the I3C to ”C local mode absorption of a two-carbon atom center in silicon for subthreshold radiation damage by electrons of 20 60 keV in a sample doped with [13C]/[12C] = 4.5. The local mode involves motion of predominantly only one C atom in the center. Conscqucntly, if the damage occurred entirely inside the crystal the ratio would be 4.5 (“bulk mediated”). and if one C atom was introduced from outside the crystal thc ratio would be 0.7 (“surface mediated”). After Canham and Lightowlers (1986).
by knocking Ge atoms from a layer of germanium on a silicon wafer (Wada ct at., 1997).
5. BELOW-BAND-GAP PHOTOEXCITATION
Photons of energy less than the energy gap are not absorbed by a pure crystal, but optical centers in the crystal may absorb the light giving direct excitation of the centers. Direct excitation has the following advantages relative to above-band-gap excitation: a. There is no intermediate process between the photon being absorbed and the center being excited, so that the polarization of the exciting light can be exploited as discussed in Section IV.4. b. By tuning the energy of the photons used for excitation, in favorable cases the spectrum for exciting the center (i.e., its absorption spectrum)
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
13
can be measured; the technique is then referred to as photoluminescence excitation. The disadvantage of using below-band-gap excitation is that frequently the center may produce negligible absorption of the radiation, either because its concentration, or its oscillator strength, is too small. There is then too small a deposition of energy in the centers to create measurable luminescence.
6. ABSOLUTELUMINESCENCE An absorption spectrum is calculated from the ratio of the transmitted and incident intensities at each frequency; See Eq. (1). Consequently, the wavelength-dependent intensity of the light source cancels out, as does the wavelength-dependent sensitivity of the equipment. In a luminescence spectrum we simply measure the emission from a sample. Consequently, we may need to correct for the wavelength-dependent response of the equipment, and we may want to obtain an absolute measure of the luminescence efficiency. To correct for the wavelength-dependent sensitivity we need to measure the spectrum from an object with a known spectrum. A tungsten lamp, placed at the site of the sample and using the same optics, can be used as a quasi-blackbody emitter. Its effective temperature may be measured by an optical pyrometer and the spectrum it emits can be calculated using the known emissivity of tungsten (de Vos, 1954). Consequently, the wavelengthdependent factor can be calculated, which converts the measured spectrum into a spectrum proportional to the number of photons emitted per unit time per frequency interval. We note that the correction factor will normally be different for different polarizations of light passing through the spectrometer, as the reflectivity of each mirror in the spectrometer depends on the plane of polarization relative to the reflecting plane; further, in a grating monochromator there are large changes in the reflectivity near the blaze angle of the grating. To calculate the absolute quantum efficiency of the center, the traditional technique is to use an integrating sphere to capture all the light emitted by the crystal, and compare the intensity with the emission of a standard emitter at the same wavelength region. This is easily visualized for work at room temperature; at lower temperatures it is necessary to compare with the emission from a standard source such as a calibrated blackbody (e.g., Brown and Hall, 1986).
14
GORDON DAVIES
111. Chemical identification We are usually interested in the concentrations of impurities in semiconductors at the level of the order of one part per billion atoms. It is very likely that there will be contamination of the sample by unknown impurities at this and higher levels. The problem of identifying an optical feature with a particular impurity is therefore severe.
INCORPORATION 1. CHEMICAL In some favorable cases it is possible to control the concentration of one impurity and correlate the optical signal with the measured concentration. For example, carbon can be grown into silicon as an isolated substitutional impurity, and its concentration measured (e.g., by doping with I4C and using its radioactivity). Good correlations have been reported between the absorption at 607 cm- and the concentration of 12C (Newman and Willis, 1965). In luminescence there is the additional problem that the signal is not absolute. At the very least some form of internal calibration of the intensity is required, for example, to overcome the effects of not having different samples in exactly the same place in the equipment. In some cases the intensity of the Raman line from the sample may be a good internal calibrant (Clark et al., 1995). We will follow in detail the measurement of phosphorus in silicon. Dean et al. (1967) first linked the luminescence of Fig. 6 with the decay of excitons trapped on the P donors in Si, by using samples of known major dopant and resistivity. Figure 7 shows the strength of luminescence from the excitons as a function of the P concentration (Colley and Lightowlers, 1987). There is an accurate linear relationship over 3 orders of magnitude. In this case the internal calibrant is the intensity of luminescence from the free excitons. As the concentration of P increases, the probability that an exciton e P-emission will be captured at a P atom increases, and so the ratio l p / l f of to free-exciton emission will increase. The concentration of P can also be assessed from its electrical activity, if one allows for the presence of the other donors and acceptors that are revealed by the optical spectra. It is important to point out that all shallow donors and acceptors are seen simultaneously in the luminescence measurements; compensation of the minority acceptors by the majority donors will occur when the crystal is in equilibrium, but in a photoluminescence experiment the excitation places the sample in a nonequilibrium state, allowing all donors and acceptors to be populated. The data of Fig. 7 look surprisingly simple to use. However, for reproducibility the spectra have to be taken under conditions of saturating the P
’
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINTDEFECTS
1,
a,(LO) 1146
1148
1150
15
1152
yT0)
1090
1130
1110
1I50
Photon cncrey (mcV)
FIG. 6 . Photoluminescence from silicon doped with [PI = 3.2 x 10'4cm-3. The inset shows an expanded view of the zero-phonon line. After Colley and Lightowlers (1987).
9
10-6
L
10-5
1 0 - ~
1
*
I
&
10-2
NP line-area/FE peak-height ratio (eV) FIG. 7. The concentration of boron, aluminum and phosphorus in silicon as a function of the ratio of the integrated luminescence in the zero-phonon line of the bound excitons to the peak height of the free exciton. These data are accurate only for the particular experimental setup used, but any equipment could be calibrated to give similar plots. After Colley and Lightowlers (1987).
16
GORDONDAVIES
donors -the excitation intensity is increased until luminescence is observed from multibound excitons on the P. We have noted in Section 111 that the excitons may drift considerable distances in silicon, so that the excitation density varies with depth into the crystal. Consequently, the degree of saturating the P signal varies with depth into the crystal, and a different value of l p / l f ewould be recorded by sampling different depths into the crystal. The orientation of the sample relative to the optics collecting the luminescence is then important -different l p / l f eare recorded if the luminescence is observed from the excited face or from a perpendicular face. In general, each experimental rig must be precalibrated against a standard set of samples. In this example, all the P atoms form the same sort of optical center, that is, simply one substitutional P atom. But often an optical center involves only a small fraction of the total amount of an impurity in the crystal. One example is in silicon, where a small fraction (perhaps 10%) of the carbon impurity may combine with a small fraction (say, 1%) of the oxygen impurity to form an optical center known as the “ C center. How can we verify that carbon and oxygen are involved? One possibility is to model the production of the center. The carbon-oxygen C center in silicon is created when a carbon atom is placed into an interstitial site by radiation damage. The carbon atom Ci is mobile at room temperature. If Ci is trapped at an 0 atom the “C” luminescence band is produced with its zero-phonon line at 789 meV. This center also produces local vibrational mode absorption at 865 cm-’, and Fig. 8a shows the production of the absorption (and hence the concentration of the center) as a function of radiation dose. At low doses the concentration is expected to be proportional to the dose, but this limit is not readily observed (Fig. 8a) because the Ci - 0 centers can capture a Sii atom and convert to so-called “C4” centers with a local mode absorption at 1020 tin- *. The C4 absorption is shown in Fig. 8b for the same samples as used in Fig. 8a. The lines on the plots are calculated taking into account all the competing reactions that occur during the irradiation (Davies et al., 1987a). The fit strongly suggests that the centers are being created by the chemical reactions used in the model, and in particular establish that the 789 meV band is formed from one Ci moving to one 0 atom, a result subsequently confirmed in detail (Trombetta and Watkins, 1987).
2. STABLE ISOTOPES
A simple technique that can produce unambiguous identification of the chemistry of an optical center is to exploit the effects of different isotopes of a suspected impurity. The isotopes may be present naturally, as in the case
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
17
A
0
5
10
5
10
Electron dose 1017 cm-2 FIG.8. Modelling of the production of an optical center may allow its chemical composition to be determined. Here optical absorption (filled circles) produced by a carbon-interstitial -oxygen-interstitial pair is modeled (solid lines) using the chemical reactions triggered by the radiation damage. The slowdown in production of the centers is a result of their capturing a silicon-interstitial atom, producing the "C4" centers (open circles, modeled by broken lines). After Davies et al. ( 1987a).
of Ni in diamond. Nickel enters diamonds when they are synthesized by high-temperature, high-pressure conversion of graphite into diamond, using Ni as a solvent-catalyst (Kanda and Sekine, 1994). Diamonds can now be synthesized with sufficient perfection that fine structure can be observed in the two zero-phonon lines near 1.4 eV, one of which is shown in Fig. 9a. Figure 9b is a reconstruction of the observed lineshape assuming the lineshape of Eq. (5) for each component, and a relative intensity of the components equal to the ratio of the natural abundances of the Ni isotopes
58Ni:"oNi:61Ni:62Ni:64Ni = 67.76:26.16: 1.25:3.65: 1.16
(10)
The quality of the fit implies that Ni is involved in the center, and that the effects are produced by one Ni atom (see Section VII.5 this chapter; Nazare et al., 1991). In other cases we cannot rely on naturally abundant isotopes and have to introduce different isotopes into the crystal. Figure 10 shows the effect on
GORDONDAVIES
0
0.6
1.2
Photon energy -1402.8 (mev) FIG. Y. (a) Absorption at 1 1 K of the 1.404 eV zero-phonon line in a synthetic diamond. The line contains substructure produced by the effects of one nickel atom. A reconstruction of the spectrum is shown by curve (b), where each component has a relative intensity given by the ratio of the abundances of the isotopes of Ni, and the lineshape is Eq. ( 5 ) with p = 2. The computed lineshape matches closely the measured spectrum, upper curve. After Nazarb et ul. (199 I).
the 1150.9 meV line in Si of doping a crystal with both H and D in equal amounts, establishing that H is involved in the center (Safonov and Lightowiers, 1996). We will discuss the origin of the effect in Section VII.5, and here will deal with some of the practical issues. First, the number of components observed in the splitting tells us how many impurity atoms are involved in producing the isotope effect -this is then a lower limit to the number of those atoms in the center. That is, there could be other atoms at the center that do not produce an isotope effect. Taking the H example of Fig. 10, the presence of three lines with equal concentrations of H and D implies that two atoms are active at the center and that they occupy equivalent sites in the center. Assuming random assignments of the atoms, if the crystal has been doped with both H and D atoms, in the ratio p / q with p + q = 1, the probabilities of two H, one H and one D, and two D atoms are given by successive terms in the expansion of ( p q)2. If the hydrogen
+
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS I
1
19
I
2H
HD
D A
1.1505
1.151
1.1515
Photon energy (eV) FIG. 10. Spectra of the B,, center in silicon doped with hydrogen, deuterium or an H, D mixture. The pure-isotope spectra consist of a lower energy line from a triplet state and a higher energy line from a singlet state (see Section VIII.l). In the mixed-isotope sample, one additional line appears midway between each of the singlet and triplet states, indicating that two closely equivalent hydrogen/deuterium atoms are involved in the center. After Safonov et. a1 (1997b).
atoms occupied inequivalent sites, then the configurations H - D and D - H would be different, and four lines of equal intensity would be observed for p = q = 0.5. Similarly, for the Ni example of Fig. 9, the fact that the intensity ratio of the fine structure equals the natural abundance ratio implies that only one Ni atom is active in producing the isotope effect. This argument relies on the assumption that different isotopes can be incorporated into an optical center with equal probabilities. This postulate
20
GORDON DAVIES
is not necessarily true -- the diffusion coefficient of an impurity depends on its mass. It is also possible that the capture of an impurity to form a new optical center will also be mass-dependent. This is especially likely when the migrating impurity is H or D, as they differ by a factor of two in their in their zero-point energies, although in practice masses, and hence by only small deviations from equal probabilities of capture are observed The replacement of 12C by I 3 C in silicon typically leads to changes in zero-phonon energies of less than 0.1 meV (Davies et al., 1987). Because the isotope splittings in zero-phonon lines are small, it is important to be sure that the observed structure is produced by isotopes and not some other effect in the crystal. One technique is to note that the different relative abundances of the isotopes occur at spatially separated optical centers. In the Ni example, one center may be made of '*Ni and another of 60Ni-we do not expect energy to be transferred between these two centers and so the energy states of different energy cannot come into thermal equilibrium with each other. Similarly, the same intensity ratio should be measured in absorption and luminescence measurements of components ascribed to 58Ni and to 60Ni, as is observed (Nazare et al., 1991). If an electronic state was being split at the center by spurious strains, then we would expect intensity transfer between the two states. It is essential that the host crystals used for the different isotope-doped samples are very similar.
4
3. UNSTABLE ISOTOPES If an unstable isotope is present in an optical center in a crystal, the optical signal should evolve as the isotope decays, because the optical spectra are highly characteristic of the chemical elements present. Figure 11 shows a test example, in which luminescence from the well-known phosphorus donor in Si (Section 111.1) has been monitored; the P in this case was unstable 31P.The luminescence from the P has been normalised with respect to the luminescence from the stable B acceptors, to provide the necessary internal calibration. The line on Fig. 11 is an exponential decay with the lifetime of 25 days of 31P.In this case the 3 1 Pdecays by beta emission, with an energy of only 0.25 meV, and so little radiation damage will result. Changes in the luminescence efficiency of the crystal are allowed for by the boron calibrant. In some cases there may be substantial concern that the crystal is changing significantly during the period of observation, which needs careful consideration (Magerle et al., 1995). Typically the unstable isotope will be implanted into the crystal, and so there may be annealing of the implantation damage as well as new damage being caused by the unstable nuclei. One solution that has been adopted (Henry et al., 1996) is
21
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
I
I
m
0.5
-
0.0
-
1
1
I
I
I
I
I
Time (days) F~G.11. Luminescence measured from the phosphorus donor (Fig. 6 ) in silicon implanted with "P atoms. The points show experimental data and the line is an exponential decay calculated with the decay time of the 3 1 Patoms. Cower (1996) private communication.
to observe the decay of a luminescence signal as an unstable element decays and in a separate experiment to observe the growth of the same signal as the element is created. For example, they identified luminescence from silicon at 777 meV as being caused by Pt by observing its decay as '"Pt(2.9 days) + Ir, and by its growth through the reaction '95Au(183 days) -+ Pt. The unambiguous link overrules a previous assignment (based on the chemical preparation) that the center was caused by Ag. This example demonstrates the danger in assuming that the dominant impurity introduced is the cause of a photoluminescence spectrum : luminescence can be caused by very low concentrations of trace impurities. Figure 12 shows the growth of the 777 meV band in p-type silicon that has been implanted with 193Au,the growth following a saturating exponential, [l - exp( - t / z ) ] , with z = 32 _+ 12 h, equal to the decay time (z = 25 h) for lY3Au 192Pt(Knopf et al., 1998). In n-type silicon, the decay of the 735 meV band (z = 21 L- 4 h) establishes that band as gold-related. Note that the luminescence probe in silicon penetrates only of the order of a micrometer, which is similar to the implantation depths, so that a good matching is achieved as long as there is no significant long-range migration of the excitons; see Section 11.3. -+
22
GORDONDAVIES
Photon energy(meV) 775 750 725
775 750 725 64 49
35
f
2
1
A
20
O
r 12
13 ---J.--Ih____ I
js50
l600 1650 1700 1750
1550
~
, . , , , . 1600 1650 7700 9750
,
Wavelength(nrn) ~ at 60keV FIG. 12. Spectral changes in silicon implanted with I012cm-Z 1 9 3 A atoms ~ to Pt with a decay time of 25 h. followed by annedling at 950°C and quenching. 1 9 3 Adecays In p-type Si (left) the 777meV band increases with a saturating exponential with a decay time of 32 +_ 12h, consistent with the band being produced by Pt. In n-type Si the 735 meV band decays with T = 21 4 hours, consistent with that hand being gold-related. After Knopfet nl., 1998).
4.
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE EXCITATION BY
X-RAYS
One problem in identifying the chemical origin of an optical center is that the outer electronic states of the impurity atoms are changed in a nontrivial way by their environment. However, sufficiently localized electronic states will still retain their chemical signature. If an atom is excited by exciting an inner electron, the energy required will be a characteristic signal of the atom. A synchrotron X-ray source, scanned through the characteristic atomic energy levels, can therefore act as a chemical probe, with luminescence used as the detected signal. Figure 13 shows that the intensity of X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) from porous silicon, which has been freshly etched, follows the silicon X-ray edge at 1844 eV, while with progressive oxidation it shifts to the 1851 eV edge of silicon oxide (Pettifer et al., 1995).
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
1840
1850
23
1860
Photon energy (eV) FIG. 13. X-ray excited luminescence spectra recorded from silicon (a) and silicon-oxide (b) -(d) in various states of oxidation, as a function of the X-ray excitation energy. After Pettifer et al. (1995).
IV. Structural information Suppose that an optical center consists of only one defect atom. That one defect can still take up a variety of sites : a substitutional site with tetrahedral symmetry, as for a vacancy in diamond; a substitutional site with lower symmetry, as for a vacancy in silicon; a trigonal symmetry, as in the example in Section 111.2 of Ni in diamond; a trigonal bond-centered site, as postulated for H in Si (Bech Nielsen, 1988), and so on. These different symmetries can be distinguished by various simple extensions of optical techniques. Other techniques are discussed in separate chapters of this volume and volume 51A of this series. Before looking at the techniques, let us see why we want to have symmetry information on the centers. Apart from helping to define the structure of a center, knowledge of its symmetry places severe constraints on its expected properties. There are many texts that provide an introduction to the use of symmetry arguments and group theory in quantum mechanics (e.g., Tinkham, 1964; Wherrett, 1986). As a very brief outline,
24
GORDON DAVIES
consider a center such as an F-center in an alkali halide (Fig. 14). One halide atom (e.g., CI in NaCI) is missing, and the nearest neighbors are the 6 N a atoms along the positive and negative x, y , z axes. Suppose that we are interested in the properties of hydrogen-like p orbitals, which are directed along these same x, y , z axes. What happens if the atoms along the x axis move inward‘? In the new configuration it is obvious (see Fig. 14b) that the p, orbitals will have a different energy now from the p, and p, orbitals-the Na ions along the x axis have been moved in, changing the Coulomb interaction with the p, orbitals while not greatly affecting their interaction with the p, and p, orbitals. Further, the py orbital will be affected in precisely the same way as the p, orbital, because both are perpendicular to the main motion (along the x axis). In quantum theory, the perturbation of the states depends on integrals such as (p,16,Qxlp,) where O,Q, is the change in the potential of the electrons as a result of the movement by Q, of the ions and 0, is the corresponding operator. Thus,
and just from the symmetry of the center we have derived useful information about the effect of perturbations on electronic states. We have not used the detailed form of the wavefunctions, merely the fact that they are identical in form except for their different orientations. All the related combinations of perturbations and states have been tabulated for all point groups of interest (1963). by Koster er d., The same ideas can be applied to optical transitions, because the intensity of a transition between two states and $ 2 depends on the square of an Irl$2), where r is the direction of the electric field of the integral such as radiation. For example, at an F-center, with the electric vector of the light polarized along the x axis, transitions from an s-like state can only occur to p, because (s I x I p,) = (s I x I p,) = 0: this follows simply from the odd parity of p,, (and p,) and of x, but the even parity of s. In contrast, parity arguments show that (slxlp,) # 0. These selection rules have been derived purely from the shapes of the orbitals and of the environment, and are not dependent on the details of the wavefunctions. For example, if all the orbitals were made twice as large, the same selection rules would be followed. Symmetrybased arguments are trivial to apply to perturbations whether they are time-independent (e.g., stresses) or time-dependent (e.g., optical transitions). To report some of the important results we note that a spatial function is “totally symmetric” in the point group of the center when it is not changed by any symmetry operation at the center. For example, an s state is spherically symmetric and so is not changed by any rotation or reflection at thc F center; it is a totally symmetric function in the 0, point group.
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
25
l z
X
I
t t FIG. 14. An F center in an alkali halide is a missing halide ion. In the position of least vibrational potential energy, the center has the 0, point group with equal distances to the 6 nearest neighbor alkali atoms (a). Moving the two x-oriented ions inwards (b) will perturb the p, orbitals in a different way to the p, and p, orbitals. In terms of symmetry, lowering the symmetry to C,, symmetry has partially lifted the orbital degeneracy.
26
GORDON DAVIES
Similarly, a six-pointed star, with each point directed along x, y or z, is unchanged by the symmetry operations. Orbitally degenerate states such as px, py. p, have the property that the symmetry operations of the F center transform one into another, or, in general, into a linear combination of the three states; for example, a rotation through 4 2 transforms p, into p,. Two important results from the use of group theory are that: a. A nondegenerate state is perturbed in first order only by a perturbation that is totally symmetric in the point group of the center. Consequently, an s state in the F center (Fig. 14) may be perturbed by a radial movement of all the ions but not by a symmetry-lowering distortion. This is a powerful selection rule to determine which perturbations are effective in a low-symmetry center, when all states are non-degenerate. b. Group theory can tell us when an integral must be zero. However, an integral may be effectively zero simply from the particular functions concerned. Thus, group theory is excellent for determining if a term is zero, but not at determining how large a nonzero term is going to be. These simple applications of group theory in quantum mechanics demonstrate how essential a technique it is. The results will be used without further justification in much of the remainder of this chapter. The symmetries of some centers have the full symmetry of an atomic site in the crystal (tetrahedral symmetry in semiconductors, T, point group). Others have lower symmetry, such as an off-center impurity, or a combination of several impurities. Lower symmetry centers possess “orientational degeneracy.” For example, a trigonal center such as the N-V center in diamond, oriented along the (1 11) axes of the crystal, can have its major axis oriented along any of the [lll], [lTl] . . . [TTT] directions, giving 8 possibilities. In general, the number n of different orientations is given in terms of the number G of symmetry elements in the 0, point group of the diamond structure (G = 48) and the number g of symmetry elements in the point group of the center, as n = G/g. For a trigonal C , , point group there are 6 symmetry elements that leave the center unchanged : 3 reflections, 2 rotations by 21113, and one identity operation (Fig. lS), giving the n = 4816 = 8 possible orientations. In an ideal crystal we would expect that all these orientations would be equally populated. However, if the crystal has different growth rates in different directions, as occurs with epitaxial growth, different orientations may not have equal populations. Similarly, there may be different rates of including impurities when a bulk crystal grows at different rates in different crystallographic directions, so that different parts of the crystal have unequal populations of optical centers (see Collins, 1989). We will assume in this chapter that the centers are equally distributed.
1
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINTDEFECTS
27
FIG. 15. Representation of a trigonal center viewed along its main axis. The center can be rotated by +2n/3 producing an equivalent configuration of the atoms. Similarly, reflection in any of the three planes containing a filled circle and an open circle leaves the center unchanged.
The trigonal center of Fig. 15 is oriented along the (1 11) axes and so will luminesce differently with respect to that major axis. It might be expected that the orientation of the centers could be determined by simply measuring the intensity of luminescence in different planes of polarization. However, in a cubic crystal, the luminescence averages over the whole crystal to a value that is independent of the symmetry of the center. The simplest example is a tetragonal optical center with its electric dipole oriented along its main (001) axis. Consider luminescence emitted by the [001]-oriented centers, Fig. 16. The intensity of the luminescence polarized with electric vector oriented along [pqr] will have a strength proportional to r 2 , the square of the projected electric vector on the dipole axis. Consequently, the luminescence is strongest when r = 2 1, providing at first sight a method of identifying the (001) orientation of the center. However, centers oriented along [loo] and [OlO] emit with strengths proportional to p 2 and q2 respectively, and the total luminescence of p 2 q2 r2 = 1 is independent of the plane of polarization of the light. The anisotropy of the centers is thus made “latent” by the “orientational degeneracy” of the centers. The same can be shown to be true for any orientation of dipole. To reveal the symmetry axis of a center we can make the different orientations inequivalent to each other, so that it is possible to detect the properties of individual orientations of center. The simplest conceptual way of achieving this is to compress the crystal along one axis. In the example,
+ +
28
GORDON DAVIES
Y 2
/
FIG.16. Centers with their primary axcs along the (001) directions will, usually, have equal populations along the [loo], [OlO] and [OOl] axes. If the centers absorb light whose electric vector is polarized along the main axis of each center, then the absorption by each center is proportional to the square of the electric vector projected on the axes of the centers, respectively pz, y’ and r’, which always sum to unity.
a [OOl] compression will make the [OOl] centers absorb differently from the [loo] and [OlO] centers, revealing the anisotropy. In addition to stresses, electric fields and magnetic fields can be used (Section. 1V.2 and 3). By polarizing the exciting light and looking at the polarization of the emitted light we can also overcome the latent anisotropy (Section IV.4).
1. UNIAXIAL STRESS PERTURBATIONS
It is easy to place a crystal under a variable stress in a low temperature cryostat. Strains of up to 0.1 YOare adequate for deriving much information about the centers. Note that these strains are, however, much smaller than the typical zero-point oscillations of an atom. For a carbon atom vibrating with a quantum of Zzo = 70 meV in an optical center in silicon the root mean square (rms) displacement r in the zero point state is r = Jj;/2mcrl= 5 x nm, or 2 % of the bond length. The easily achieved strains are, therefore, small compared to the natural motions of the atoms, and this places a limit on the amount of information we can derive on the “electron-phonon interactions” described in Section VII In the following outline it is assumed that the measurements are made in absorption. In cathodo- or photoluminescence exactly the same arguments
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
29
apply, as long as the photoexcitation is above the band gap so that the polarization of the exciting light is lost (Section 11.3). When the excitation of the centers is by below-band-gap light, the absorption per center depends on the polarization of the exciting light relative to the axes of the center. Results with this additional complication have been tabulated by Mohammed et al., (1982). In a cubic semiconducting crystal 6 “stress tensor” components sij are required to fully define the stress. To calculate the tensor components we need to know the magnitude of the applied stress, its direction of application, and the orientation of the area on which we are considering the stress. For an applied stress of magnitude s, the tensor components are defined by
s,,= s cos(s, i) cos(s, j )
(12)
where (s, i ) is the angle between the directions of s and the ith cubic axis of the crystal (i = x,y , z). The stress tensor component s,, has the physical meaning of being the force directed along the x cubic axis of the crystal acting on a face perpendicular to the x axis, that is, a compression along the x axis. The component S, describes a force directed along the x cubic axis of the crystal acting on a face perpendicular to the y axis, that is, a shear of the y faces. It is useful to note that the stress tensor component sytransforms under the symmetry operations in the same way that the product i j transforms. To obtain a complete set of stress data on an optical center requires stresses to be used that involve all 6 stress tensor components s,, sYy,s,, syz,s,, sxy.Compressions are used along the (OOl), (1 11) and (1 10) axes. The (001) compression generates stresses in the cubic axes of the crystals of the form s,, and (111) compressions create shear stresses like sxy. Compression along (1 10) generates both types of stresses and so gives no new perturbation data, but it does provide a powerful self-consistency check and gives information about the type of dipole moment. The optical spectra for [l 101 stress are different for viewing along [lTO] and [OOl]; if the spectra are the same for light polarized parallel to the [ l l O ] stress axis then the transition is electric-dipole allowed, and if they are the same for light polarized perpendicular to the stress axis the dipole is magnetic (Kaplyanskii, 1964a, 1964b). The way that a uniaxial stress perturbs the electronic states is that the stresses move the atoms and so the electron-nuclear interactions. We can estimate the size of the perturbation by approximating the electrons at an optical center as being trapped in a potential like a cubic box. The energy levels for such a system scale with the inverse square of its linear dimensions. For example, for a particle in an infinitely deep one-dimensional square-well
30
GORDON DAVIES
potential the energy levels are E = h2n2/8ma2,where a is the width of the box. Consequently, we expect the change in energy to be dE/E
= - 2da/u
(13)
implying a fractional change in energy of 0.2% under 0.1% strain. This is easily resolved, being x2 meV for a typical transition in silicon, over ten times larger than the widths of typical zero-phonon lines (Section IX). The stress required to achieve this amount of strain near the optical center depends on the value of the elastic constants near the center, which will be different from those in the bulk crystal as a result of the change in the chemistry at the center. A rough rule is that for localized centers, larger changes in energy per unit stress are observed at vacancy-related centers than at interstitial-related centers, because the vacancies soften the crystal (see, e.g., Table I in Zaitsev et d.,1996). Note that the strains interact with the orbital components of the electronic states, and that there is no first-order effect on the spins. Consequently, the uniaxial stress technique gives no information on the spin states, in contrast to magnetic field effects (Section 1V.3). There are extensive compilations of the effects of uniaxial stresses on electronic transitions observed in optical absorption, or by photoluminescence above the band gap, or cathodoluminescence. For centers with low symmetries see Kaplyanskii (1964) and Davies et al. (1988); for trigonal symmetry see Hughes and Runciman (1967) and Davies and Nazare (1980); for tetrahedral symmetry see Kaplyanskii (1964b). These compilations are for cases of “isolated” electronic transitions, that is, those where the ground and excited electronic states of the transitions do not interact, under the stress perturbation, with other electronic states. This situation is always true for small enough stresses, and allows the symmetry class of the center to be determined (for example, whether it is a trigonal center, but not whether it is C,, or D,, within that class; for this refinement electric fields can be used, Section IV.2). An example where these tabulations apply is the splitting of the 3942 cm-’ zero-phonon line for a defect in silicon, as shown in Fig. 17 (Davies et al., 1987b). We note here that the energies of the stress-split components are all linear in the applied stress: there is no interaction with other electronic states. Under (1 10) stress the same pattern is observed with the electric vector of the absorbed light parallel to the stress, but the observation of component “g” with electric vector perpendicular to stress is direction-dependent, indicating that the transition is an electric dipole transition. The intensities of the stress-split components were found to be independent of temperature and of the magnitude of the splittings as the stress is increased, indicating that the split states cannot come into thermal
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINTDEFECTS
31
K s II till>
h
0
0.2
0.4
0
0.2
0.4
? 3900 0
0.2
0.4 Stress
IGPa)
FIG. 17. The effect of uniaxial compression along the (OOl), (111) and (110) crystallographic axes on a zero-phonon line in silicon. For [I lo] stress component 'g' appears when the electric vector E is parallel to [IiO] but not with E )I [OOl], while the spectra with E parallel to the stress are identical for both viewing directions. This identifies the transition as electric-dipole allowed. The number of stress-split components and their polarizations are consistent with a monoclinic I center. For this type of center, the perturbations can be described using 4 parameters [ A , to A , of Eqs. (14, 15)], and the lines show the best fit to the measured data (points); the 9 shift rates are very well described by the 4 parameters. After Davies et al. (1987b).
equilibrium with each other. This implies that the splitting is unlikely to occur at electronically degenerate ground states in these absorption measurements. Likewise, in a luminescence experiment, if there is no thermal equilibrium between the excited states then we expect to see no variations in intensity with stress. These results suggest that there is no electronic degeneracy at the center, and so the splitting is caused only by the lifting of orientational degeneracy. The number of stress-split components for each direction of stress, and their
32
GORDON DAVIES
relative intensities in the different polarizations identify this center as having the monoclinic I symmetry class. In silicon this implies a center that is left invariant under only two operations, the identity operation and a reflection operation in a plane perpendicular to a (110) direction (Fig. 18). For this type of center the symmetry is so low that there can be only nondegenerate orbital states, and so the first-order perturbation of each state by the stress is given by those combinations of the stress that are totally symmetric in the symmetry operations. It is useful to define a set of axes for each orientation of the center. For the center oriented with the perpendicular to the reflection plane along the [llO] axis, let the local Z axis be that [ l l O ] diection (Fig. 18), and let X be parallel to [OOl] and Y along [lTO]. Stress tensor
FIG. 18. A monoclinic I center in silicon has one reflection plane oriented perpendicular t o a ( 1 lo) direction. One particular orientation of center has its reflection plane perpendicular to [llO]. This primary axis is denoted the Z axis. Cartesian coordinates local to each center can be defined by the right-handed coordinates X , Y and Z as shown. However, note that while Z is uniquely defined, because there is only one normal to the reflection plane, X and Y can lie at any orientation in the reflection plane. Here they are arbitrarily defined so that X 11 [OOI] and Yll [lTO].
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
33
components that transform as X 2 , Yz, 2’ and X Y are all invariant under the symmetry operations of the center. Transforming these axes to the Cartesian axes i,j, k of the crystal shows that the perturbation can be written as
where the ai are operators acting on the electronic states (Kaplyanskii, 1964a). This expression applies to both the ground and the excited state of the transition, and, consequently, to the difference between the excited and ground states. We define four parameters
as the difference in the matrix elements of the operators ai acting on the excited and ground states. The lines on Fig. 17 are calculated using this form of perturbation, applied to the 24 different orientations of the monoclinic I center. The agreement between the fit, using the four parameters A , to A , as adjustables, and the 9 measured perturbations of the components confirms the assignment to a monoclinic I center. Note that because the optical measurement monitors the difference between the excited and ground states, we only get information on the diference in the perturbations of the ground and excited states. In contrast, paramagnetic resonance, for example, gives information on the orbital state in which the resonance is observed. The example given here is a simple case. One common complication is that the excited states of centers are multiplets of nearly degenerate states, which interact under stress. Some quantitative details will be given in Section VITI, but a simple picture of an excited state of many centers in semiconductors is that an electron has been excited from a relatively localized state, leaving a localized hole. The electron is still attracted to the center through its Coulomb attraction to the hole, but the Coulomb attraction is reduced by the large relative permittivity of the semiconductor (c = 1 1.7 for Si) allowing the electron to orbit in effective mass states, which are closely separated in energy. The lowest energy electron states are likely to be split by the low symmetry field of the central cell of the optical center. Consequently the electron is likely to be perturbed in a similar way to the conduction band states, and the hole as in the Kaplyanskii theory. Thonke et ul. (1985) first used this approach for a carbon-oxygen optical center in Si, as shown in Fig. 19. The symmetry of the optical center is again monoclinic I (Foy, 1982) but is sufficiently close to tetragonal that the data can be fitted using this higher symmetry. The lines on Fig. 19 have been
GORDON DAVIES
34
<1io>
(001)
<111>
k ---------------------
L
0
0.1 0.2 0.3
0
0.1 0.2 0.3
0
0.1 0.2 0.3
Stress (GPa)
FIG. 19. Perturbations of the electron effective-mass states of the interstitial-carbon, interstitial-oxygen center in silicon. Points show measured data by Foy (1982) and lines calculated by Thonke rt ul. (1985). The calculation is described in Sections IV.l and VIII.l with the lines computed using Eq. (41).
calculated by assuming that an electron is loosely trapped on a tetragonal center, which provides the initial (zero-stress) splitting of the six conduction band minima. In this case the ground (or hole) state of the center is negligibly perturbed by the stress and so the observed splitting is caused primarily by the perturbation of only the effective-mass electron. An example of a center where both the hole and electron are perturbed is given by the Cu S center in Si, where again the excited state can be treated as an electron in an effective mass state, with a hole in a tightly bound state, see Fig. 20 (Jeyanathan et ul., 1994). The same arguments can be used for the centers where the transition involves a tightly bound electron and an effective mass hole, as for another monoclinic I center, the carbon-oxygenhydrogen “ T center in Si: See Section V11.2 and Fig. 45 in this chapter. The existence of two particles in the excited states of the centers raises the question of their spin coupling. Several cases exist depending on the amount of orbital angular momentum of the particles, and the possibilities have been reviewed by Dean and Herbert (1979). Centers such as the Si: Cu + S center are particularly simple in that all orbital angular momentum of the hole and the electron is quenched by the low (monoclinic I) symmetry of the center, so that only the spin angular momentum survives. The spins (s = 1/2) of the hole and the electron combine to produce a spin triplet ( S = 1) and a spin singlet ( S = 0), which are separated in energy by an amount depending on the spatial localization of the particles, so that, in general, the
+
1
35
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
(110) stress
(111) stress
(001) stress
g7F t:.
960
950
0.0
0.5
940
0.0
0.5
0.0
0.5
Applied compressive stress (GPa)
FIG. 20. Effect of uniaxial compressive stresses on the spin-triplet of the A configuration of the Si:S + Cu system (Section VIII.1). The spin-singlet state lies 11 meV to higher energy, but its different spin state prohibits stress-induced interaction with the singlet. The triplet states are, however, repelled from higher lying triplet states. The lines are calculated assuming an effective-mass-likeexcited state and a tightly bound hole ground state. Data from Jeyanathan (1995).
singlet-triplet splitting increases with the binding energies of the particles. Because the uniaxial stresses do not couple to the spins of the particles, the singlet and triplet states do not interact appreciably under stress, although they do interact (respectively) with higher lying singlet and triplet states of the higher energy effective mass states of the electron, producing the curved perturbation plots for the triplet states of the Si:Cu S center shown in Fig 20. We noted that one useful observation is whether the stress-split components are in thermal equilibrium with each other; if they are in equilibrium the initial state of the transition is probably orbitally degenerate and has split under the stress. However, the degeneracy of electronic states can be lifted without thermal equilibrium being reached between the split components. For example, the conduction band minima in silicon are located at different k values, and are not able to come into thermal equilibrium at low temperatures until the splitting is about 16 meV, large enough for a k-conserving transverse acoustic phonon to be emitted as the electron makes the transition between the different minima (Kulakovskii et al., 1978). The
+
36
GORDON DAVIES
same effect can carry over to electrons loosely trapped on optical centers 1984) although the k-based selection rules are inevi(Ciechanowska rt d., tably weaker in view of the localization of the electron on the center. Conversely, the observation of thermalizing lines does not necessarily imply that electronic degeneracy is being lifted. Thermal equilibrium can sometimes be reached between different orientations of centers which have different energies as a result of a uniaxial stress. For example, a monoclinic I center can be derived, formally, from a trigonal (C3J center by lowering its symmetry through the removal of the three-fold axis to leave only one reflection plane: we could create the monoclinic I center by placing one new impurity atom on one of the reflection planes of a trigonal center. There are three ways the symmetry can be lowered depending on which reflection plane contains the new atom. An applied stress may then increase the energy of one of the monoclinic I orientations relative to the other two, and the new atom may be able to flip into one of the other reflection planes. This easy re-orientation between the monoclinic I configurations derived from one trigonal orientation is seen, for example, in the 969 meV luminescence of the two-carbon atom center in silicon (Foy et ul., 1981). As always, a simple rule (“thermalisation = electronic degeneracy”) can have exceptions. When the effects of uniaxial stresses are known on an optical transition, they can be used to monitor the state of the crystal. For example, the linewidth may indicate the general background strains in the crystal (Section IX), and if a zero-phonon line is observed to be split in an as-grown crystal, the strains in the crystal may be estimated (Pickard et al., 1997). We will consider other uses of uniaxial stresses in Section IV.5.
2. ELECTRIC FIELDPERTURBATIONS We have seen that the uniaxial stress technique produces large perturbations relative to the zero-phonon linewidth so that the symmetry group can be determined. However, a uniaxial stress requires equal and opposite forces to be applied to the crystal, if the crystal is to be static, and so the perturbation has even parity under inversion. As a result, the technique cannot distinguish between those centers with inversion symmetry (e.g., a trigonal center with the D,, point group) from those which do not (e.g., trigonal with C3J. To distinguish them requires a perturbation that is axial but is directed, and an electric field is suitable. Large electric fields can only be applied to crystals that are insulating. Even then the perturbation is small. The potential energy of an electron is changed by only meV between two points separated by 1 p\ (0.1 nm) along a field of 1000 V/cm, and so it is immediately apparent that lock-in
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
37
techniques will be required with modulated electric fields if any effect is to be seen. Under these conditions an optical center with inversion symmetry will show no first-order perturbation of an electronic state, but the perturbation by the squared field will result in a lineshape given by the first derivative of the lineshape. A center with no inversion symmetry can have a first-order perturbation of its electronic states, resulting in a lineshape of second derivative form (Kaplyanskii et ul., 1971; Kaplyanskii et al., 1970). Figure 21 shows the absorption spectrum and its field-modulated derivative for a nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond (Davies and Manson, 1980). The symmetry of the center is known, from stress measurements and from the formation of the center, to be Clh.The lack of inversion symmetry allows a first-order Stark effect, and this is observed (Fig. 21b). The size of the Photon energy (mev) -10
(a)
0
10
Transmission
Electric field squared (volts/mm)'
FIG. 21. Transmission (a) through a diamond, showing absorption at 2.417eV, compared to the differential signal (b) with niodulatcd electric field. The second derivative lineshape indicates that the center does not possess inversion symmetry; from uniaxial stress measurements it is known to have monoclinic 1 (inversion-free) symmetry. The energy scale is centered on the zero-phonon line. In (c), the size of the differential signal is shown to be proportional to the square of the electric field. After Davies and Manson (1980).
38
GORDON DAVIES
V
-10
0
10
Photon energy (mev)
FIG. 22. The differential signal for the zero-phonon line of the neutral tetrahedral vacancy in diamond is of the correct second-derivative shape in sample (a). In sample (b), with a slightly asymmetric absorption lineshape, the signal has a complex shape when measured in unpolarized light, and is of first derivative shape, (c), when viewed in one polarization (electric vector perpendicular to the electric field). The expected shape is second derivative. The energy scale is centered on the zero-phonon line. After Davies and Manson (1980).
differential signal increases with the square of the applied electric field (Fig. 21c). The small perturbations can, however, produce misleading results if the optical center is perturbed by its environment. The vacancy in diamond is tetrahedral but can be perturbed by nitrogen impurity atoms close to it, producing an asymmetric lineshape. Figure 22 shows the Stark effect on unperturbed vacancies, giving the expected second derivative shape, in contrast to the Stark effect on an asymmetric line. The technique has to be used carefully; lines of irregular shape can produce misleading results. 3. THEZEEMAN EFFECT
Data on the spins of states cannot be derived from uniaxial stress or electric field perturbations but can be obtained from magnetic perturba-
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
39
tions. We have seen in Section IV.l that states with a spin of S = 1 and g = 2 can occur at centers in semiconductors as a result of the coupling of the spins of an electron and a hole. Assuming g = 2, a field of only 5 tesla
will split the M , = + 1 and 0 states by 0.58 meV, which is usually an easily resolved splitting at a zero-phonon line, as seen in Fig. 23 for the Si :Cu S center (Singh et d.,1989). However, in contrast to paramagnetic resonance measurements, hyperfine splittings cannot be resolved in these measurements. Consequently, no chemical data can be obtained directly from Zeeman experiments. A further limitation on Zeeman spectroscopy is that in a pure spin system there is no coupling of the spin to the orbital motion, and so the Zeeman data for a singlet-triplet system do not contain any information regarding the symmetry of the center. In this case the Zeeman splitting is isotropic (Fig. 23). A particle with orbital motion has the motion influenced by the local symmetry of the center, and so can give symmetry information. Figure 24 shows data for the T center in Si, a complex of two C atoms and one H atom (Safanov et a/., 1995). The analysis is in terms of recombination of an exciton bound to a center with C,, symmetry. The electron has isotropic spin angular momentum only (with g = 1.95) but the hole is derived from the valence band maximum and so has orbital as well as spin angular momentum, combining to give a total angular momentum with components J i on the cubic axes of the crystal. The Hamiltonian for the hole can be written as
+
where the fit in Fig. 24 uses g1 = 1.3 and y, expected for a shallow trapped hole in Si.
= -0.1,
close to the values
LUMINESCENCE MEASUREMENTS 4. POLARIZED We take again the simple example of Section IV (in the Introduction on page 23) where a center may absorb light when the electric vector of the light has a component along the (001) axis of the center. Consequently, light polarized along [OOl] is absorbed only by the [OOl] centers. If the energy remains on that center and if it is emitted as one photon, the intensity of the luminescence will be polarized along the same [OOl] axis. Rotating a polarizer to analyse the emission will reveal an intensity varying as cos2 8
40
GORDON DAVIES
967.6
0
I
I
I
2
I 3
I
1
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
812.4
811.6
0
Magnetic field (T)
I--
R11<100> =5Tcsln
'I'=16K
Photon cncrgy (mcV)
FIG. 23. (a) Splitting of the triplet slates of the 'A' and ' B configurations of the Si:Cu + S system under a magnetic field. The field is actually directed along the (001) axis, but could be along any crystallographic axis. because at the resolution of a photoluminescence spectrum, the splitting is isotropic; (b) The appearance of the spectrum for the 'B' configuration, measured at 5 Tesla and 16 K. At this temperature the excited singlet state is readily observable, and is not split by the field. The triplet states are populated according to a Boltzmann distribution. After Singh et ul. (1989).
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
41
0
p 30
h
u)
a,
z!, a,
EI 60
2
90
I
934.5
935.5 Photon energy (mev)
FIG. 24. Magnetic perturbations of the ‘T’line, a carbon-hydrogen related system in silicon. One line is observed at zero field. At 5 T, the observed splittings are a function of the direction of the magnetic field, and can be fitted using Eq. (16). After Safonov er a/. (1995).
where 8 is the angle between the transmission axis of the polarizer and the [OOl] axis. From an experimental point of view, the variation in signal for this crystal geometry would characterize the transition as being produced by a [OOl] dipole at a [OOl] oriented center. The technique requires sufficiently strong absorption directly by the center of interest, and so requires an easily tuned excitation source. Consequently it is limited in its use. The technique has been widely used in studies of centers in diamond and alkali halides where it is easy to obtain resonant excitation of the strongly absorbing centers. Examples are given by Clark and Norris (1970, 1971).
5.
REORIENTATION EFFECTS AND MULTISTABILITY
A center with symmetry lower than T, has several equivalent orientations in the crystal (Section TV, see the Introduction on page 000). For example, a trigonal center may be oriented along the four axes [lll], [lil], [I111 and [lli] plus their four inversions. A species of center present in a semiconductor at a concentration of 5 x 10l6~ r n has - ~ a fractional concentration of about 1 in lo7 lattice atoms, and so we expect there will be about 200 host atoms between each optical center : the optical centers; are typically well separated and isolated from each other. Now examine Fig. 25,
42
GORDON DAVIES
which shows the effects of [lll] uniaxial stresses on a trigonal center in Si. One of the excited states (labelled ‘a’), which is derived from a [111]oriented center interacts with a state (‘b’) from the other orientations. It follows that the electronic wavefunctions for the different orientations of this center have an appreciable overlap with each other, which is unreasonable if the centers are separated by hundreds of Si atoms. The explanation is that at this center the trigonal symmetry is the result of a distortion from T, symmetry, and so any one center may distort into any of the trigonal orientations; all the orientations can occur at the same lattice site (Davies, 1994). The origin of this effect is discussed in Section VIII.1. A center that distorts spontaneously into a lower symmetry is unusual; it is far more usual that a center has a low symmetry simply because that is its molecular structure. We have noted that differently oriented centers are well separated in the crystal, and so we do not expect them to interact with
1050
h
5
v
h
8
bo
1045
8
Y
42
c4
m ‘
1040 0.0
0.1
0.0
a
0.1
Applied stress (GPa) FIG. 25. Effect of uniaxial stresses on the transitions at the ‘Q’ four-lithium atom complex in silicon. At zero stress, two lower energy lines are observed at 1044 and 1045meV, from triplet and singlet states of the Q center (cf. Fig. 23b). Under (001) stress all the trigonal centers are equally perturbed, and the splitting is a result of the stress lowering the symmetry of the trigonal centers. Under ( 1 11) stress the electronic degeneracy is not lifted at this center. However, centers oriented parallel to the stress (labeled a) are perturbed differently from those nonparallel (h). The triplet and the singlet states undergo an anti-crossing, showing that the different orientations can all occur at each optical center. After Davies (1994).
1
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
43
each other. However, the energy barrier between the different orientations may be small enough for a uniaxial stress to produce a reorientation, even at cryogenic temperatures, as we saw in Section IV.l. A uniaxial stress would then align the centers along one orientation. If the center has a simple structure, reorientation may lead to migration through the lattice. For example, the interstitial oxygen atom in Si can be rotated to specific lattice directions by applying stress : this orientation requires an atomic jump between equivalent sites and this jump is one step in the diffusion of the impurity. Consequently, reorientation of individual centers allows the individual diffusion step to be monitored. See, for example, the chapter by Stavola (pages 153 to 219) in this volume. All these orientations leave the center in an equivalent environment, and so its optical transitions have the same energy for each orientation. A different class of restructuring occurs when the atoms comprising the center are stable (or are metastable) in distinguishable configurations. Typically, one atom of the complex is an interstitial atom. We may picture this atom as migrating towards a trapping point in a periodic potential, with the periodicity determined by the distance between the interstitial sites, plus an attractive potential: See Fig. 26. Movement over the energy barriers will involve relaxation of the atoms at the saddle point, and so the energy barrier will be affected by the different chemistry near the trapping point. Near the
B
Distance through crystal FIG. 26. Schematic diagram of the potential of an impurity as it migrates towards a trapping point at point ‘0’.The potential is periodic in the perfect lattice distant from the trap. The potential minimum nearest the trap may have a low potential (point ‘A’) but with an increased barrier (point ‘B’) before the final trapping point. The increased barrier may be caused, for example, by additional difficulties in moving the lattice atoms apart, to move through a saddle-point, near the trapping point.
44
GORDON DAVIES
defect, relatively stable sites may be formed. An example where this hindered motion is seen in an optical experiment is when a carbon interstitial approaches a substitutional carbon atom in silicon (Davies ef al., 1988) : the optical signal of the Ci atom disappears as the Ci atom approaches C,, but the Ci must then rebond with C, before the Ci - C, pair is observable (Fig. 27). The classic example of more than one stable configuration is the Fe-AI pair in silicon. Here the Al is substitutional and the Fe interstitial. The pair can exist as a nearest-neighbor pair or as a second nearest pair (Chantre
Oe2
r
0
500
1000
1500
Time (mins) FIG. 27. Migration in silicon of a carbon interstitial atom Ci to a trapping point, a substitutional carbon atom C,, produces the two-carbon ‘ G center. The optical absorption (circles) produced by the C , atoms decrcases exponentially with annealing time. However, the C, musi overcome a barrier of 938meV in order to combine finally with the C , atom; schematically, this harrier is the energy difference between points B and A on Fig. 26. Consequently there is a delay in the growth of the G absorption. The delay is clearer in (b) for annealing at 0°C than in (a) for annealing at 2O’C; the line labeled “exp. grth.” (which stands for “saturating exponential growth”) would he the growth curve of the G centers if they were produced without delay. Thc harrier height for motion of the C, at a large distance from the C, atom is 862 _+ 10 meV. After Davies ct (I/. (1988).
OF POINT DEFECTS 1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS
45
FIG. 28. (a) Configurational coordinate sketch of the energy levels of the C,-P center in its negative charge state, the neutral charge state when it has lost one electron, and the repulsive state after gaining two holes. (b) Similar sketch for the fifth configuration of the C,-P center. See Fig. 26 for a simple schematic form of the figure. After Giirer et (I/. (1992).
and Bois, 1985). The different configurations are identifiable by the different symmetries of the centers producing paramagnetic resonance [see Sakauchi et al., (1996)l. A more complicated version of this behavior occurs in silicon for the substitutional-phosphorus interstitial-carbon center, where the Ci atom has relatively stable positions at several different sites relative to the P, atom, see Fig. 28 (Gurer et al., 1992). In terms of optical centers the Cu-S pair in Si is currently unique in showing two different optical bands, associated with different configurations (Fig. 29). Cooling a sample in the dark to 4.2 K results in the center’s being trapped in the “A” configuration, producing zero-phonon luminescence near 912 meV. Excitation (to create the luminescence) converts the center into the “B” configuration, with zero-phonon line near 812 meV. The B configuration is then stable until the sample is heated sufficiently for the defect to overcome a barrier of about 100 meV, taking it back into the A structure (Singh et al., 1993; Jeyanathan et al., 1994; Chen et al., 1994).
V. Radiative lifetime effects
1. MAGNITUDES We have seen that the radiative lifetime T of a transition is useful in calibrating the strength of the absorption in a band to the concentration of
46
GORDONDAVIES
Construction
Measurement One-phonon part
700
800
900
1000
Photon energy (mev) FIG. 29. The spectrum measured from the two Si:S + Cu centers is shown by the noisy line at the bottom. The spectrum has been corrected for the response of the system as described in Section 11.3. The upper spectra are calculated using the vibronic theory of Section VII.3, with the contributions from the one-phonon processes as shown by the insets to the measured spectra.
the center (Section 11.2). The z is defined through the exponential decay of the intensity I of the luminescence after the excitation has ceased
I = I, exp( - t / z )
(17)
This equation assumes that the excitation of the center stops abruptly at t = 0. In practice it may be possible for energy to excite the center from another defect, so that energy stored in the crystal continues to be transferred to the center after the primary excitation has ceased, making the decay time of luminescence from the center longer than the intrinsic value of 7 . Equation (17) also assumes that all the decay is by the emission of photons in the luminescence transition. Frequently there are also nonradiative processes, in which case the measured decay time zd is less than the radiative lifetime z,. The total decay time zd for independent processes is
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
47
given by the sum of the reciprocals
where zni are the decay times in the nonradiative channels. It may be easier to regard Eq. (18) as saying that the reciprocals of the decay times are the probabilities per unit time of the decay, and the total probability is the sum of each probability. The decay times are especially likely to be affected by competing processes in an indirect gap semiconductor, such as Si, where the radiative lifetimes may be long. The Wannier exciton has a well-separated electron-hole pair, so that there is very little overlap of the two particles, reducing their recombination probability. Also, in silicon the electron and hole have very different wavevectors as a result of the indirect bandgap, and so recombination does not just involve the electron and hole but necessitates one or more phonons to conserve wavevector. These factors result in the free exciton in Si having a long lifetime, with measurements of at least 60 pi in pure Si being reported at low temperature (Merle et a/., 1978). When the exciton is captured by a shallow donor or acceptor its decay time is significantly reduced. For example, for the interstitial Li donor the lifetime at 4.2 K is 1.1 ,us (Steiner and Thewalt, 1984). The lifetime is reduced by two factors. First, localization in real space on the donor results in an increase in overlap between the electron and hole, and it also produces a spread in wavevector, increasing the possibility of the electron and hole recombining without the need to involve a phonon. Second, the donor is in the neutral charge state, which means that in the unexcited state of the center there is one electron orbiting it in an effective-mass orbital. When an exciton is bound at the donor, nonradiative decay is possible through the Auger emission of an electron : the energy of the exciton may be used to ionize an electron off the center rather than to produce a photon. With increasing binding of the exciton on the donor or acceptor, both the localization and the probability of emitting the Auger particle increase, resulting in a rapid decrease in decay times. For donors in silicon the binding energies and exciton decay times (measured at 4.2 K) are given in Table I, and the corresponding values for acceptors in Si are given in Table 11. The luminescence efficiency, defined as the probability of emitting a photon after excitation, is zd/z,, and so rapidly decreases down these progressions of donors and acceptors. Extrapolating this situation to “deeper” centers in silicon, where the exciton is bound to the center with a substantially larger binding energy, it is not surprising that the luminescence efficiency can become very low if there is a third particle (electron or hole) on the center that can be kicked off by the decaying exciton in an Auger
48
GORDON DAVIES TABLE 1
EXCHON DECAYTIMESAT 4.2 K Donors Lifetimc Energy
Li 115011s 3.6 meV
AND
EXCITON BINIIINGENERGIES OF SOME DONORSIN SI
P 272 ns 4.7nieV
Bi 8.6 ns 7.7 meV
As
183 ns 5.4meV
Data are from Vouk and Lightowlers (1977a, 1977b); Thewalt (1977); Dean et al. (1967); Steiner and Thewalt (1984).
process. Consequently, in silicon, those deep centers observed in luminescence very rarely contain a third charge in their excited states; the excited state can be described as one exciton, and the ground state is isovalent with the lattice. The ground state of the center is then expected to have no spin and so will not be observable by paramagnetic resonance. We have “derived” here a rule of thumb that in silicon the optical centers are usually not observable by paramagnetic resonance until their charge state is modified. This rule is very well (but not universally) valid; the “T” center of Fig. 24 is expected to be one exception, although paramagnetic resonance has not yet been observed in the ground state (Newton, 1997). The measured decay time of luminescence may be affected by interactions with other defects in the crystal, in which case the measured lifetime may be specimen-dependent. We note two possibilities: energy transfer between centers and charge transfer. An example of energy transfer occurs when the luminescence from a center occurs at the same photon energies as the absorption band of another defect. Instead of the center emitting a photon as luminescence, it may transfer the energy to the other defect in what we can picture as the emission and absorption of a virtual photon (Dexter, 1953). The ‘“3” center, a triangle of three nitrogen atoms next to a vacancy in diamond, has a radiative decay time which has been observed to vary between 41 and 18 ns in different samples (Thomaz and Davies, 1978). The reduction in decay time correlates with the increasing concentration of pairs of nitrogen atoms in the samples, and can be fitted by assuming that the electric dipole of the EXCITONDECAYTIMESAT 4.2 K Acceptors Lifetime Energy
B 105511s 3.8 meV
AND
TABLE 11 EXCITONBINDING ENERGIES OF
Al 76 ns 5.1 meV
Ga
77 ns 5.7 meV
SOME
In 2.7 ns 14.0meV
ACCEPTORS IN SI TI 0.27 ns 43.8meV
Data are from Vouk and Lightowlers (1977a, 1977b); Thewalt (1977); Steiner and Thewalt ( 1984).
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF P O l N T DEFECTS
49
N3 centers couple to an electric quadrupole at the nitrogen-pairs. The probability per unit time of energy being transferred by this mechanism decreases rapidly with the distance r between the luminescing center and the absorbing defect, and is proportional to l/r*. Consequently, the energy transfer becomes increasingly important as the concentration of the defects increases. An example of charge transfer is provided by the transfer of an electron from the excited state of a C - 0 center to the V - 0 “A” center in Si (V = vacancy), giving
(C-O)*
+ (V-0)
-+GO)+
+ (v-0)-
where the star indicates an excited state. This process is detectable by the paramagnetic signals of the C-0’ and V - 0 - centers (Frens e t al., 1994). The transfer time was estimated in some samples as 50 ns, much smaller than the radiative decay time of 14 ps for the G O * center (Bohnert et a)., 1993). Consequently, the charge transfer process does not affect the measurements of the radiative decay time, but would reduce the measured luminescence efficiency of the center in a sample-dependent way.
2. TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
Tables I and I1 show that excitons may be bound to acceptors and donors by only a few millielectronvolts. With increasing temperature the excitons are thermally ionized from the centers before they recombine; for example, in silicon the luminescence from these shallow centers decreases rapidly above about 8 K. The excitons emitted from shallow traps become available for capture by other optical centers, so that the intensity of the luminescence from deep centers often increases with increasing temperature (see Fig. 30). At higher temperatures the excitons are in turn ionized from the deep centers, and the deep luminescence also decreases. This is the central problem in making successful light-emitting diodes for room-temperature operation from crystalline silicon. These ionization processes are shown in Fig. 30 by data for the ‘ P carbon-oxygen center in silicon, which is observed after heating oxygencontaining silicon at about 450°C. The data are readily fitted by an equation of the form
Here the growth in luminescence as the shallow traps are ionized is
50
GORDON DAVIES
0
80
40 Temperature
(K)
FIG. 30. Temperature dependence of the 767 meV ‘ P zero-phonon line in silicon. The P centers have been generated by heating oxygen-rich silicon for 48 h at 450°C. The line is calculated using Eq. (19). The increase in intensity at low temperatures corresponds to release of excitons from traps whose exciton binding energy is 3 meV. After Davies (1989).
+
described by the t e r m f = u/[l bT3’’exp( - E , / k T ) ] , where E, is the trap ionisation energy. The term p = gT3’2exp( - E / k T ) describes the loss of intensity from the deep center by its ionization (ionization energy E ) , and a, b, g are constants. Typically, the shallow traps have a binding energy of 4 meV, and their origin is currently unknown. The increase in intensity by a few orders of magnitude between 4 and 30 K has severe implications for the use of photoluminescence as a diagnostic tool-optical centers may exist but not be observable under the convenient experimental conditions of immersing the sample in liquid helium. . Corresponding to the decrease in luminescence under steady-state excitation at the higher temperatures, the measured decay time also decreases, as seen in Fig. 31 (Thonke er ul., 1985). The multiplet structure of many excited states of centers also causes intensity and lifetime changes. For example, under steady-state excitation there may be a significant increase in intensity with increasing temperature if transitions from the lowest excited state are relatively forbidden compared with transitions from a higher lying state. Figure 32 shows data for the A configuration of the Si: S + Cu band. The lowest excited state of this center is a spin triplet, while the ground state has
-
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
51
Temperature (K) I
20
10
5
I
I
I
1
200 n
9
50
W
10
1
0
0.1
0.2
1/T (K-l) FIG. 31. The main plot shows the measured radiative decay time of the 789meV band produced by a Ci-Oi complex in silicon. The inset shows the decay of the intensity as a function of time for temperatures (from top to bottom) of 10, 7 and 4.2K. At T < 10K an initial fast decay is observed as shown by the squares on the main figure. After Thonke et al. (1985).
S = 0. Consequently, the rules of atomic physics suggest that this transition is forbidden. In a crystal, the transition is allowed (see Section VIII.l) although it has a transition probability some 600 times smaller than transitions from the S = 0 excited state which, as shown on Fig. 20, lies about 11 meV above the S = 1 state. With increasing temperature this S = 0 state becomes populated, and the luminescence transition probability increases substantially.
3. DELAYED LUMINESCENCE DETECTION The different decay times of optical transitions can be used to simplify spectra that contain more than one different luminescence band. A longlived luminescence band may be enhanced relative to a quickly decaying transition by exciting the crystal using a pulsed source. The detector is then gated so that it is active after the short-lived luminescence has died away, when the long-lived luminescence will dominate the spectrum. An example
52
GORDON DAVIES
-5’
o
-5
0
‘
I
20
20
’
I
40
40
‘
I
60
60
‘
I
80
80
’
I
loo
100
100O/T K-’ FIG. 32. The Si:S + Cu bands (Fig. 29) have spin-singlet and spin-triplet excited states (See also Fig. 20). Transitions from the higher-lying singlet are considerably more allowed than from the lower energy triplet, with the two sets of states in thermal equilibrium over the measurable ranges. The projections to infinite temperature give intensity ratios of 570:l for the A band and 13001 for the B band.
is shown in Fig. 33, where photoluminescence from Co-doped diamond is dominated, under steady-state conditions, by emission from nitrogen-related centers (‘H3’ with a radiative decay time of about 16 ns and “3’ with 40 ns). A 1 p s delay after excitation discriminates against the emission from these centers, and allows studies to be made of the Co-related luminescence (Lawson et ul., 1996).
1
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
53
14x103 -
12 10 86-
42-
01,
I
I
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.6 2.8 Photon Energy (eV)
3.0
2.0
2.2
2.4 2.6 2.8 Photon Energy (eV)
3.0
I
I
I
FIG.33. Top spectrum shows photoluminescence from a diamond containing zero phonon emission at 2.156eV (labeled 575nm), at 2.463eV (labeled H3) and at 2.985eV (labeled N3). Luminescence from all these bands decays with a lifetime of a few tens of nanoseconds. The lower spectrum has been recorded with a l p s gate delay, so that the short-lived bands dominant in the upper spectrum have decayed and the longer-lived components can be observed clearly. After Lawson et al (1996).
4.
EXCITATION POWEREFFECTS
Finally, note that the relative intensities of different contributions to the luminescence spectrum of a crystal may vary with the excitation power. For example, if the excited state of a center has a long lifetime, then it will be easy to saturate the luminescence from that center by exciting it with enough power. A center in the same crystal with a short-lived excited state cannot
54
GORDONDAVIES
be as easily saturated, and under sufficiently high-power excitation it will dominate the luminescence. It follows that the spectrum may change depending on the geometry being used in the experiment; if the luminescence is collected from the excited face then the observation is of some average over the different excitations into the crystal, while if the luminescence is detected perpendicular to the excitation then the specific excitation level depends on the section of the crystal being monitored.
VI. Spatial localization We noted in Section I1 that the volume excited in a luminescence experiment may be on the scale of micrometers, whether the excitation is by an electron beam or by a beam of light. However, further degradation of the spatial resolution can occur if the excitation results in the creation of excitons that can diffuse through the crystal before they are trapped at the optical centers. In silicon, where we have noted that the exciton lifetime may be tens of ps, considerable diffusion may occur. In Si doped with l O I 3 cm-3 B atoms, it has been estimated that 10% of the excitons can diffuse through a thickness of 150 pm at liquid helium temperature (Gregson, 1987), decreasing to about 1% at l0l4 ~ m - With ~ . increasing concentration of traps for the excitons, the diffusion length decreases. One example is shown in Fig. 34 where the luminescence from a carbon center is being detected as the beam in an electron microscope is scanned across a multigrain sample of silicon (Davies et al., 1993). At the grain boundaries, the luminescence decreases; the line is calculated assuming a diffusion length of 6 pm for the excitons, significantly larger than the 3 pm diameter of the excitation sphere created by the 15 keV electron beam (Yacobi and Holt, 1986). Variation of the concentration of centers may occur in a thick film of epitaxial material if the growth conditions vary during the growth. Figure 35 shows data for an epitaxial layer of Si, 11 pm thick, grown on Si. The surface of the sample has been progressively etched away, and the luminescence from each optical center is shown as a function of the etch depth (de Mello, 1990). To allow for any variation in the equipment it is necessary to normalise the measured intensity against a standard, and in these experiments the standard was provided by one part of the surface of the layer, which was always protected from the etchant. The calculations allow for the 1 pm exponential decay of the 514.5 nm Ar' ion laser light into the sample, and they assume that the excitons can diffuse from their point of creation with a Gaussian distribution. To fit the data a diffusion length of 3.5 pm had to be used. The remaining variable is the concentration profile of the optical
1
I
0
OPTICAL
I
20
I
55
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
I
40
I
I
60
I
I
80
I
I
I
100
Distance (pm) FIG.34. Cathodoluminescence intensity of the two-carbon atom ‘ G complex as measured by cathodoluminescence topography using a 15 keV electron beam. The line through the points is calculated for an exciton diffusion length of 6pm and assuming a partial reduction in the luminescence at the grain boundaries, whose positions are shown by the vertical lines. The stight linear increase in signal across the scan is an artifact and has been allowed for in the fit. After Davies et al. (1993).
center, and the lines fitting the measured distributions have been calculated with the profiles shown in the right-hand figures. Unfortunately, there are no independent data on the profiles to check against the calculations. Excitons do not necessarily diffuse randomly. In a strain field the valence band and the conduction band of a crystal are likely to be split, so that some of the split exciton states may be lowered in energy. The exciton is then attracted into that strained region so that it can lower its energy. It has long been known that the electron-hole “liquid” created by the strong excitation of germanium can be concentrated into part of the crystal by straining that part. Similarly, excitons that enter a region of reduced bandgap are incapable of escaping from it. For example, excitons are spatially localized by a quantum wire and so may be captured by the individual optical centers
GORDON DAVIES
56
I
d-line PL and flt
0
4
8
12
0
b -
4
I
g-line PL and f i t
I
L flttlna profila
8
12
fitting profile
I
.-
0
4
8
12
Etch depth pm
0
4
8
12
Depth in layer pm
FIG. 35. Photoluminescence intensities of two zero-phonon lines, arbitrarily labeled ‘d’ and ‘g’, observed in an epitaxial layer of silicoii. The layer was 11 Ltm thick. O n the diagrams in thc left column, measurements of the intensities after successive etching of the surface are shown by the points, as functions of the thickness removed by the etching. The lines are calculated using thc dopant profiles shown in the diagrams in the right column, allowing for the penetration of the exciting light and an assumed 3.5pm diffusion length of the excitons. After dc Mello (1990).
in the wire, giving a way of observing individual centers in the wire. This technique has been used to detect cathodoluminescence from single carbon acceptor atoms in GaAs quantum wires in AlCaAs (Samuelson and Gustafsson, 1995). An alternative high-resolution excitation process is by carrier injection from a scanning tunneling microscope (Pfister et al., 1994).
V11. Role of vibrations in “electronic” transitions
Optical absorption and luminescence transitions involve changes in the electronic state of an optical center. However, the vibrations of the center are extremely important in determining many of the observed properties, such as the shape of the spectrum and its isotope dependence. Since the ideas are
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
57
so fundamental we will only briefly review here the “vibronic” (combined electronic and vibrational) properties of the center. A. Single modes of vibration (local modes) In Section IV.l we saw that an electronic state is perturbed when the crystal is strained, and the change AE in energy of the state is linear in the strain e as long as the state is sufficiently different in energy from other electronic states; that is, A E = A e where we expect A to have a magnitude of about one eV per unit strain, Eq. (13). The strain has to transform as the A, representation in the point group of the optical center, if the electronic states are non-degenerate. Suppose now that we have no strain in the crystal, and that we freeze the positions of the atoms in their equilibrium positions in the ground electronic state of the center (at Q = 0 on Fig. 36). Now excite the electron to energy E,. The energy of the electronic state could be reduced by allowing the atoms to move so that they create a strain - e at the defect, giving an energy reduction of -Ae. This strain would correspond to a movement of the nearest neighbor atoms to the center through a distance Q = -u,e, where a, is the interatomic spacing. Increasing the magnitude of the strain would allow the electronic state continuously to decrease in energy. However, the
I
0
Q-
FIG. 36. A two-dimensional sketch of an optical center in a crystal. The energy of an electronic state of the center can be lowered, according to Eq. (13), by moving the atoms outwards through a distance Q, creating a local strain -Q/ao at the center. However, the chemical bonds will be distorted, increasing the elastic energy.
58
GORDON DAVIES
strain distorts the lattice, introducing an elastic energy kQ2, which will constrain the size of the deformation. The equilibrium distortion occurs when kQ2 - UQ is minimized, where for convenience we write u = A/u,. The total energy of the center in its excited state is then V, = E,
+ kQZ
-
UQ = E , + k(Q - uj2k)' - a2/4k
(20)
V, is shown on Fig. 37; it is parabolic in Q and results in harmonic motion of the atoms about an equilibrium point at Q , = a/2k. At Q,,, the center has a total energy a2/4k less than the energy E , at Q = 0; this reduction in energy can be regarded as driving the deformation. In general, all optical centers have atomic vibrations about different equilibrium positions in different electronic states, which can be interpreted as simply saying that the chemical bonding in a crystal is changed when the electronic states are changed. This coupling of the electronic states to the way the center vibrates is referred to as the electron-phonon coupling. Figure 37 is referred to as a configurational coordinate diagram, and relates the total energy of a center to a distortion coordinate Q. This particular figure shows that the center in its round state would vibrate harmonically at an angular frequency n) = 2k/m about the equilibrium point Q = 0. In the excited state the vibrations would occur with the same frequency but about Q, = u / m o 2 . Here m is the mass of the mode, which depends on the type of motion and the definition of Q . For a simple picture we assume that the change in electron density when the transition occurs is confined to within an atomic spacing of the optical center. We could then take Q to be the movement of one nearest neighbor to the center, and m its mass. The Born-Oppenheimer approximation states that the total wavefunction for the center can be factorized into an electronic part d(r), which primarily depends on the electronic coordinates r, and a vibrational part x(Q). In this approximation we write the total wavefunctions in the ground g and excited e electronic states as
,;"
where n, N are the quantum states of the vibration in the ground and excited electronic states. For an electric-dipole transition between these states the transition probability depends on the square of the integral
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
59
400 200
0 -0.025
0
0.025
Coordinate (nm) Fiti, 37. The single-coordinate configurational coordinate diagram drawn to scale for a vibrational quantum of 30meV, using the mass of one silicon (''Si) atom. Excitation of the electron drives a relaxation shown here as corresponding to a Huang-Rhys factor S = 2.0. For reference, the nearest-neighbour interatomic spacing in silicon is 0.234 nm. The vertical lines show those luminescence transitions nearest the zero-phonon line, which are observed at low temperature. See also Fig. 38.
which can be factorized into an electronic part and a vibrational part
The first integral, which depends on the details of the electronic states, is usually not known; however, it will have some particular value that we will regard as an unknown constant and in the following we will concentrate on the second, vibrational, integral. This second integral simply involves harmonic oscillator states, which are fully understood and so can be readily
60
GORDON DAVIES
evaluated. From the orthogonality of states with different energies we expect that when Q, = 0, r
where bN,”= 1 if n = N and is zero otherwise. The orthogonality breaks down when there is a relative displacement of the equilibrium points of the oscillators, that is, when Qo # 0. We are particularly interested in transitions measured at low temperature, when only the zero-point vibrational states are occupied. For the case of absorption transitions, which start from n = 0, the squared overlap integral is
where the “Huang-Rhys factor” S = a 2 / 2 m h ~ ~has 3 , the physical interpretain units of the quantum of the tion of being the relaxation energy u2/2m~02 vibration k o . Note that the transition probabilities in Eq. (25) have the property that summing them over all the phonons gives
The physical meaning of this equation is that the optical transition is driven by the coupling of the electronic states to the radiation field, and not by the vibrational states. The total transition probability is not affected by this form of vibronic sidebands; it only spreads out the absorption or luminescence over a finite range of photon energies. The appropriate measure of the absorption for use in detailed balance arguments (Section 11.1) is therefore the absorption integrated across the absorption band. Using Fig. 37, the absorption transitions from the n = 0 level in the ground electronic state to the N = 0 level of the excited electronic state occurs at the energy hv, = E , - u2/2mw2;this transition involves no change in phonon number and so is the “zero-phonon” line. From Eq. (25) the intensity of the zero-phonon line is
I, = I, exp( - S)
(26)
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
61
where I , is the total intensity of the entire absorption band. The one-phonon sideband occurs at an energy tio higher in energy, with an intensity S times larger, from Eq. (25), and the relative intensity of the higher phonon sidebands is given by successive terms in Eq. (25). Consequently, we can use the absorption strength of each feature (e.g., the zero-phonon line) as a measure of the total absorption, and usually it is more accurate to use one well-defined feature rather than attempt to integrate over the extent of the band. In luminescence the same spectrum would be obtained, but with the phonon sidebands displaced to lower energy than in absorption (Fig. 38). The spectra of Fig. 38 have been drawn for S = 3. To estimate the typical values expected we can use the relationship of Eq. (25), S = a2/2mho3,in conjunction with the expected value a 1 eV per unit strain, Eq. (13). Then, with the mass of a Si atom used for m, and tio = 30meV, as is typical for silicon, we obtain S 4. Typical values are about 2 for optical centers in silicon (e.g., Davies et ul., 1987). This simple model describes the spectra when only one vibrational mode is involved. Spectra of this form are sometimes observed (see e.g., Fig. 39). For optical centers in crystals, local vibrational modes fit the description. Local modes are created by a vibration with a frequency higher than the cut-off frequency of the lattice, so that the vibration is not able to propagate into the crystal and is localized in the vicinity of the optical center. The vibrational frequency is well-defined with a width that is usually determined by its lifetime; for example, the local mode may decay by breaking into two lower energy vibrations that can travel into the crystal. In Si, local modes with hru = 75 meV are often observed in luminescence spectra, and the width (in excess of the zero-phonon width) is about 0.5 meV. To identify a local mode sideband of a vibronic sideband we can therefore use the rules
-
-
Luminescence
t:l,
Absorption
I 0
1 5c
L 10
150
Photon energy (mev) FIG. 38. The Poisson distributions of absorption and luminescence lines predicted by the single-coordinate diagram for the same parameters as in Fig. 37.
62
1000
GORDONDAVIES
1010
1030
1020
1040
Photon energy (mev) FIG. 39. An approximation to the single-mode spectrum is observed at a lithium-related center produced by radiation damage in silicon. The transitions are not exactly equi-spaced in energy, as shown by the energy separations at the top of the spectrum. The lines are labelled 0 for the zero-phonon line to 5 for the fifth-phonon sideband. After Canham et al. (1985).
~
980
1000
~~
1020
1040
Photon energy (mev) FIG. 40. The spectra show the one-phonon part of the vibronic sideband of the “Q” photoluminescence band in silicon, whose zero-phonon line is at 1045 meV. Peaks A, B, and C are resonances of the center, superimposed on the one-phonon lattice continuum. The peaks to the left of C are the sidebands involving optic mode phonons. The two spectra are for samples doped with ’Li and 6Li in the ratios as shown, and in each resonance the components move to lower photon energy, that is, higher phonon energy when ‘Li replaces ’Li.The spikes show the predicted distributions in mode A if only two Li atoms contribute to the motion, and in mode B if all 4Li atoms contribute equally (as in a breathing mode). After Canham et al. (1983).
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
63
that:
a, its intensity ratio relative to the intensity of the zero phonon line is fixed (at the value S ) in all samples regardless of preparation; b. its width must be at least the width of the zero-phonon line; c. higher-order sidebands will be in the intensity ratio given by Eq. (25), and at, or close to, multiples of the local mode frequency from the zero-phonon line; d. for nondegenerate electronic states, the vibrational mode has to transform as the A, representation in the point group of the optical center to produce a first-order perturbation of the electronic states (Section IV); and e. following from (d) its response to perturbations (e.g., uniaxial stresses) must be qualitatively (and, in practice, quantitatively) like the zerophonon line. For a local mode, the frequency must also exceed the cut-off of the host lattice. However, a sharply defined mode of lower energy, a resonance mode, will obey the same rules; an example is shown in Fig. 40 for Li atoms in Si. Local modes are very important when isotopes are used to identify impurities, as we will see in Section VII.4.
2. BANDMODES
So far, we have considered the case where only one mode of vibration interacts with the electronic states. Movements of the atoms near an optical center can also be constructed by a linear superposition of band modes, so that the change by Q, in the equilibrium position of the neighboring atoms can also lead to vibrational sidebands of lattice modes. They are typified by a continuum of modes, as in Fig. 29. If we use the approximation that the energy of the electronic states is changed linearly in the displacement, and the displacement is the sum of contributions from different modes, then the energy of the electronic state is perturbed simply by the cumulative effect of each mode, and Eq. (20) becomes
the summations being over all the modes. We could now draw V, in a multidimensional space with axes Qi and with the equilibrium position
GOKDON DAVIES
64
shifted by ui/2ki in the ith mode. The important point is that the modes are all behaving independently. This allows us to define a Huang-Rhys factor for each mode Si= uf/2rnihw’. We recall from the previous section that this type of electron-phonon coupling spreads out the transition but does not change the integrated absorption or luminescence. For convenience let us take the total absorption or luminescence intensity to be unity. The contribution to the total band from the one-phonon sideband involving the ith mode is, from Eq. (25), Si. The sum of all the one-phonon sidebands allows us to define a total Huang-Rhys factor as S = c i s i .Now consider the two-phonon processes. The two-phonon sideband has a contribution from two quanta of the ith mode, giving an intensity from Eq. (25) of S2/2. There are also two-phonon processes involving the simultaneous creation of one quantum of the ith mode (probability Si) and one quantum in another mode, say, the j t h mode (probability S j ) . The probability of creating these two modes simultaneously is Si x S j of the zero-phonon line. The total two-phonon intensity is then
The final expression is exactly what is expected from Eq. (25) for the two-phonon process using the total Huang-Rhys factor S = Si.Similarly, Eq. (25) applies to the total intensity of any phonon sideband. As the different modes are assumed to be independent of each other here (the harmonic approximation), the combinations of phonons occur statistically just as described. For these random combinations it is reasonable to use integrals rather than summations when dealing with a quasi-continuum of phonon energies. We can define I,(co)dn) to be the strength (relative to the zero-phonon line) of the one-phonon sideband involving phonon frequencies between (n) and n) dw. Then the shape I,(x) of the two-phonon sideband is the random combinations of these modes, giving I , as the convolution
+
Note that the arguments (x - w ) and w of the I , expressions sum to the final frequency x. The intensity of the two-phonon processes can be found by summing all the independent combinations, and is simply S2/2 times the zero-phonon intensity, where S = c i s iis the sum of all the mode-Huang-
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF
POINT
DEFECTS
65
Rhys factors. The generalization is simple: the shape of the nth phonon sideband can be generated by the convolution of the ( n - 1)th sideband and the first sideband, by
IJX)
=
s:'
dwl, l(x - rr,)ll(o) ~
with relative intensity P / n ! times the zero-phonon intensity. If we guess a trial one-phonon sideband we can calculate all the other sidebands by successive convolutions, and hence add them to obtain the predicted total vibronic bandshape. This process can, today, be done trivially using a spreadsheet. Iterative adjustment of the one-phonon sideband then allows convergence on the experimental bandshape. We recall from Section 11.6 that the bandshape as measured in a luminescence experiment is modified by the system throughput, and has to be corrected by using a luminescence source of known absolute spectral intensity. Second, a luminescence spectrum measures (or can be used to derive) the number of photons per second per unit energy range, say L(v) at photon frequency v, which is related to the transition probabilities I(v) used in this discussion by L(v)a= l(v)v3. Figure 29 shows the calculated and measured bandshapes for the Cu S optical center in Si, which exhibits two different configurations (Section IV.5). The purposes of this type of calculation are:
+
a. that it determines whether all the features of the optical band derive from these simple considerations; and b. if the calculations apply, then the relaxation energy xiuf/4ki in the excited state can be calculated. In fact it can simply be measured from the difference between the centroid of the luminescence band and the zero-phonon line. The importance of the relaxation will be discussed in Section VIII. What is happening if the calculated bandshape cannot be made to fit the measured spectrum? One reason may be that the electronic states are degenerate, in which case coupling may occur to degenerate modes of vibration, producing the effects known generally as Jahn-Teller interactions. These are not discussed further here; several reviews have been published; see, for example, works by Sturge (1967); Ham (1972); Engleman (1972); Bates (1978); and specifically the work on diamond by Davies (1981).
GORDONDAVIES
66
3. VIBRONICCOUPLING A second reason for the failure of the theory in Section VII.2 may be that the electronic states are not sufficiently separated in energy from other states, and the vibrational modes may make the states interact. This is the direct analogy of coupling between states in the stress experiments (Section IV.1). In a stress experiment, two zero-phonon states $l,o(r, Q) = 41(r)xo(Q) and $z,o(r, Q) = $2(r)xO(Q)in the notation of Eq. (21) may interact through a static deformation of the crystal, which perturbs the potential energy of the center by A V = Ale where e is the strain and A^ is an operator that couples the two electronic states
where (in this example) the overlap of the vibrational states is taken to be unity. If we now replace the static strain by a vibrational term so that A V = A^Q, the two zero-phonon states are not coupled; the interaction is now r
r
r
and the final integral is zero (as seen by considering the parity of the terms). However, the zero-phonon level of one electronic state can interact with the one-phonon level of the other, for
This interaction is shown schematically in Fig. 41b. In general, the nth vibrational state of one electronic state will interact with the (n+ 1)th state of the other because
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
12 K
67
B
4.2 K A
6 W
6060
6120
6180
6240
6300
6360
Photon energy (cm-’)
(b)
Excited state
Ill
a
I
b
Ground state
FIG. 41. Photoluminescence from a silver-related center in silicon. In (a), the bottom spectrum, measured at 2K, shows a zero-phonon line A and much stronger one-phonon sidebands F’ and F”, with very weak two-phonon sidebands. This sequence is not consistent with the Poisson distribution of Eq. (25). Increasing the temperature shows the rapid increase in intensity of line A relative to F‘ and F”. The mechanism is outlined in (b). The phonon sidebands F and F are vibronically induced by mixing the zero-phonon state a, from which transitions are allowed as line A, with the one-phonon level b of a state from which transitions are forbidden. After Zhu et al. (1997).
68
GORDON DAVIES
The square root term is closely related to the root-mean-square displacement r of a harmonic oscillator. In the zero-point state, r = JG. Evaluating this using the mass of a Si atom and a typical vibrational quantum for silicon, hw = 30 meV, r is 1.4% of the bond-length between the atoms in a silicon crystal. The instantaneous strains created by the vibrations are considerably larger than the strains used in uniaxial stress experiments (typically less than about 0.2%), so that vibronic mixing may occur between states for which stress mixing cannot be observed. Figure 41 shows a spectrum at 2 K from an Ag-related center in silicon. We apparently see the zero-phonon ‘A’ and the much more intense onephonon sidebands F’ and F”, but the two-phonon sidebands are almost nonexistent and are certainly too weak to satisfy the Poisson distribution of Eq. (25). Heating to 4.2 K produces a strange effect. We have not considered here temperature effects, but it is reasonable to expect that there will be no significant temperature dependence in a vibronic spectrum at low temperature, when the temperature is considerably less than hulk. (We recall that k T = 1 meV when T = 11.6 K.) What is observed is a growth in intensity I , of the “zero-phonon line” A relative to the intensity I , of the one-phonon sidebands F‘ and F”, with the relationship lo/llK exp( -E/kT) where the activation energy E = 0.27 meV (Zhu, 1997). Detailed inspection of the spectra shows a very weak zero-phonon line at this energy below the apparent zero-phonon line A . A simplified energy level structure is shown in Fig. 41b. There are two excited electronic states shown, numbered 1 and 2, with optical transitions from state 1 being allowed. They produce the zero-phonon line A . Transitions from a slightly lower energy set of levels, numbered 2, are forbidden. However, coupling of the zero-phonon level of state 1 (u) to the one-phonon level of state 2 ( h ) through Eq. (33) does allow one-phonon transitions, producing the sideband F’. In the real center, two more excited electronic states exist, producing allowed transitions with zerophonon lines B and C in Fig. 41a.
4.
ISOTOPE
EFFECTS ON VIBRATIONAL SIDEBANDS
When the isotope of an atom involved in the host lattice is changed, the only effects that can be resolved in optical spectra come from the change in nuclear mass because luminescence measurements do not have the resolution to detect nuclear-spin effects. Changing the mass of a mode of vibration changes the vibrational frequency of a harmonic oscillator, as w K 1/&. However the mass m is for the mode, not the atom. If we have one ”C atom vibrating against one 28Si atom, the reduced mass of the pair is 8.4. Increasing the mass by using the isotope 13C changes the vibrational
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINTDEFECTS
69
frequency to 0.973 of its original value, giving a change in frequency of only 69% of that expected for the C atom alone = 0.961). In contrast, consider one hydrogen atom vibrating against a 2sSi atom. Changing the 'H to a 2H atom (deuterium) changes the frequency by a factor 0.719, within 95% of the shift expected for the single atom case (1/$ = 0.707) simply because the isotope is partnered by a relatively heavier and so more static atom. The magnitude of the isotope shift for a vibration is always expected to be less than that predicted simply from the change to the single atom. However, isotope shifts can be larger than the square root dependence, for example if the atom is rotating rather than vibrating. For a pure rotator the energy levels are given in terms of the quantum number J by J ( J + l)h2/ (2mr') and so follows a linear reciprocal law in m. The nearly bond-centered 0 in Si is a classic example of an approximation to this (Bosomworth et al., 1970). Figure 42 shows the splitting of a local mode of vibration in the 'T' center, a C-C-H center, in Si as the C mass is changed. The mode splits into four
(J12/13
a
I
800
I
I
I
810 815 Photon energy (meV)
805
FIG. 42. Effect of carbon isotopes on a local mode of the 'T' center in silicon observed in luminescence. In (a) the sample is doped only with "C and in (b) with both 12C and I3C. The splitting into four lines shows that the vibration is produced by the motion of two inequivalent carbon atoms. The peaks move to higher photon energy in '3C-doped material because the phonon energy is reduced. After A. N. Safonov (1996) private communication.
70
GORDONDAVIES
components, which can be identified with the configurations 12C-'2C-H, l2C-l3C-H, 13C-12C-H, and 13C-13C-H. The first and last can be identified from the spectra obtained with pure isotopes. The two intermediate cases show that the C atoms occupy inequivalent sites. The relative intensities of the four lines are expected to obey random statistics as discussed in Section 111.1. We have evidence here, then, for two C atoms in the center, and it therefore contains at least two C atoms. It is possible to have a mode of vibration in which one impurity atom does not vibrate appreciably. In that case, changing the isotope of the impurity has no effect on the frequency, and that impurity is not identified in an isotope experiment. A local mode in the ' G center, a C-C center, in silicon is a very good approximation to this case. The 71.90 meV mode of Si doped with pure "C is reduced by about 1.9 meV when one "C atom is replaced by a 13C, but the reduction is by less than 0.1 meV when the other site is changed (Davies et al., 1983). Failure to observe this small change would lead one to guess that there is only one C atom in the 'G' center: again, the isotope effects alwuys give the lower limit to the number of atoms in the center. Two final comments: First, it is often assumed that the presence of a local vibrational mode involving an atom of the host lattice implies that that atom must be at an interstitial site. This is not so; cases are known of strengthened back-bonds on substitutional atoms at vacancy-related centers which produce local modes (e.g., the 'H2' center in diamond, Jones et al., 1994). Second, resonance modes (involving an impurity atom but at a frequency within the continuum of lattice states) can also produce significant isotope effects (see Fig. 40).
5. ZERO-PHONON ISOTOPEEFFECTS Because the zero-phonon line is the sharpest feature in the optical spectrum, isotope effects are most easily resolved using it. At low temperature, the zero-phonon line is a transition between the zero-point vibrational states of the ground and excited electronic states (Fig. 37). A comprehensive discussion of the effects of changing the isotopes of the defect was provided by Hughes (1966). The essential results can be obtained by considering again the single-mode model of Section VII.l. This model was derived using harmonic vibrations and assuming that the coupling between the electronic states and each vibration is linear in the displacement of the atoms. The vibrational potential in the excited electronic state is given by Eq. (20) as V = E,
+ k(Q - a/2k)'
-
a2/4k
1
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINTDEFECTS
71
Here k = mm2/2 is independent of the isotope, as the vibrations are harmonic. Similarly, the electron-lattice coupling term a (which tells us how the electronic energy is changed by a unit displacement in the mode) has no dependence on the isotopes of the atoms. The zero-point vibrational state is at an energy E , - a2/4k + ihw, which does depend on the isotope if it changes the vibrational frequency w. However, there is an equal change in the zero-point energy hw/2 of the ground electronic state. Consequently, in this model there is no change in zero-phonon energy when the isotopes are changed. To obtain isotope effects we must consider higher-order electron-phonon coupling and anharmonic vibrational potentials. The effect of exciting the electron distribution at the center is to change the chemical bonding, resulting in the change in equilibrium positions of the atoms we have discussed. The chemical bonding also determines the “spring constants” between the atoms, and changing the electron distribution therefore changes the vibrational frequencies. Changing the vibrational frequencies makes the zero-point energy hw,/2 in the ground electronic state different from the zero-point energy hwe/2in the excited electronic state. The zero-phonon line is then at an energy hv,
= E , - a2/41c
+ $hoe - ihw,
(34)
that is dependent on the frequencies of vibration and so does depend on the atomic mass. If the effective mass of the mode is m so that changing m results in a frequency change
then the zero-phonon shift is, from Eqs. (34) and (35), hv, - hv,
= i(l - J*)(hwel
-
hwgl)
(36)
where the frequencies are specifically those for isotope 1. Intuitively we expect that the vibrational potential will be softer in the excited state (when the ‘molecule’ is nearer to dissociating), so that w e < a,.Equation (36) then implies that the zero-phonon line will move to higher energy with heavier isotope, as in Figs. 9 and 10. This sign of the shift is usually observed, but not always. When the vibrational mode is a local mode, o r a discrete resonance mode as in Fig. (39) then hoe may be measurable from the luminescence spectrum and hw, from the absorption spectrum; however, as we will see later in this Section, this approach may not give enough information.
12
GORDON DAVIES
The theory generalizes to many modes, as for band modes. With many modes of similar frequencies it is usually not possible to determine the frequency change of each of the modes. However, the temperature-dependence of the zero-phonon energy can then be used. Figure 43 illustrates the idea using a single-mode model for clarity. The vibrational potentials have been drawn so that hw, < hw,. The vertical lines show the zero-phonon luminescence transitions, defined as being transitions that conserve the number of phonons. At OK only the transition at E + 1/2ho, - 1/2hw, is observed. At higher temperature the 3/2ho, state becomes populated as well as the zero-point state, and so a new component is seen in the zero-phonon line at E + 3/2hw, - 3/2ha),. The mean quantum state occupied at tempera-
-;t
400
t
Coordinate (nm) FIG. 43. Configurational coordinate diagram as for Fig. 37 but with the curvature of the potential surface in the excited state reduced to half. The vertical lines show the zero-phonon transitions (defined as being between states of the same phonon quanta), which progressively reduce in energy as higher quantum states are involved.
73
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
ture T is given by the Bose-Einstein number n = 1/(1 - exp(ho/kT)), and so the mean zero-phonon line is shifted by
Ahv,(T) = n(hop- ha,)
(37)
The temperature dependence therefore contains the information about the difference h o e - iio, required for the isotope effect, as long as the zerophonon line can be observed at temperatures that are high enough for adequate population of the modes of interest. Equation (37) can be generalized to cover all modes at a center by simply summing all the contributions from the different modes. In practice, whenever the temperature dependence of the energy of a transition is considered, one must also take into account the contribution from the lattice expansion. An application of linking the temperature dependence and the isotope shift is given for a transition in 13Cdiamond and ”C diamond by Davies et a! (1997). We have seen that the energy of the zero-phonon line is dependent on the isotope as a result of the changes in vibrational frequency when the electronic state is changed. To include the effect in the vibrational potential we extend Eq. (20) by introducing a term bQ2 so that the total energy of the center in its excited state becomes
V,= E ,
+ kQ2
-
UQ
+ bQ2 = E , + ( k + b)(Q - ___ 2 ( k r h))2
-
U2 ~
4(k
+ b) (38)
The vibrational frequency is now o,= J2o/m, different from the in the ground electronic state-the difference has frequency o,= been caused by the coupling term bQ2, which is quadratic in Q-the “higher-order coupling” referred to earlier in this Section. If the electronic states are nondegenerate, Qz must transform as the A , irreducible representation in the point group (Section IV). Contrast this with the requirement that Q must transform as A, if there is to be a vibronic sideband of the mode. These two requirements do not have to be satisfied by each mode of vibration. For example, at a center with inversion symmetry Q may have odd parity but QZ may have even parity. In general, a mode may produce a contribution to the isotope shift of the zero-phonon line but need not be visible in the vibronic sideband. As a final contribution to the zero-phonon isotope dependence let us consider the effect of anharmonicity in the vibrational spectrum. The mean length of a bond is determined by the anharmonicity of the bond, as is familiar from the thermal expansion of a material. Changing the isotope to a heavier mass reduces the zero-point energy and so produces smaller excursions into the anharmonic region of the potential: the bond is shorter.
74
GORDON DAVIES
Replacing one H atom in an optical center by one deuterium atom will therefore move the atoms closer together, an effect which is equivalent to compressing the center. Because an optical transition changes in energy by a fractional amount proportional to the strain, A E / E -2Aa/a, Eq. (13), the effective compression of the center shifts the zero-phonon line. Note that this process is independent of the different vibrational frequencies in the ground and excited states of the center. In silicon, shifts of hydrogen-related zero-phonon lines of about 0.2 meV have been reported by Safonov et al. (1997a) when H is replaced by deuterium. They write the vibrational potential in the form
-
&
is the root-mean-square displacement in the zero-point where r = state. The anharmonic term shifts the centroid of the zero-point state, and the difference in the centroids when the isotopes are changed is
Here the value for o corresponds to the mass m,. Taking the value ),/hw= to lo-' (Herzberg, 1950), and assuming that the strain is AQ/a,, where a,, is the interatomic spacing in the semiconductor, the arguments given here suggest that replacing H by deuterium would give a zero-phonon shift in the range 0.5-5 meV, if hw 250 meV (typical for hydrogen vibration) and the transition energy E = 1 eV; experimental values of -0.5 meV are observed (Safonov et al., 1997b). Clearly, this mechanism may produce considerable shifts of zero-phonon lines. In reality, the electronic states probably sample a larger volume of the crystal than just one bond length, and so this predicted value is an upper limit to the observed shift.
-
-
VIII. Electronic excited states 1. ELECTRON EFFECTIVE MASSSTATES
The order of magnitude calculation at the end of the previous section could be improved by some knowledge of the spatial extent of the electronic
1
OPTICAL
MEASUREMENTS OF
POINT
DEFECTS
75
states. Optical spectra can give an indication of the nature of the electronic states. In Section 11.3 we saw that luminescence can be generated by above-band-gap excitation. An exciton is created that diffuses to an optical center, and is captured by it. The binding of the exciton to the center is determined by the chemistry of the center and is likely to be unique to that center, so that the photon emitted when the exciton recombines will have an energy characteristic of the center. Let us stay with this picture of bound excitons for a moment. If the emitted photon is near the band-gap energy, as in Fig. 6, then we conclude that the exciton is only weakly bound to the center and it is natural to expect the properties of the bound exciton to be similar to those of the free exciton. The same phonons will be emittedthose which conserve wavevector in an indirect gap semiconductor -with only minor differences. For example, the localization of the exciton will weaken the phonon selection rules, leading to more dispersion in the phonon energies (Thewalt et af., 1976). We can now expect that the properties of the bound exciton can be described accurately by the known properties of the free exciton, perhaps modified by a lower symmetry at the optical center. For example, Thewalt et al. (1979) have discussed the effects of uniaxial stress on excitons bound to the shallow donors and acceptors in silicon in terms of slightly perturbed valence and conduction band states. This picture is valid because in silicon the binding energy of an electron to a hole, to form an exciton, is 14.6 meV, and the exciton is bound by only a few millielectronvolts (Section V.l) to the donor or acceptor; both are small energies compared to the energy gap of 1170 meV. As the binding energy increases it is not apparent that the bound exciton model will remain of use; however, it often provides a framework, or a language, for discussing the excited states of the optical center (Kleverman, 1998). When an optical center produces luminescence at an energy that is well below the energy gap (a “deep” center), it is possible to use the following very simple general description. The electronic structure in the ground state can be taken as a linear combination of the atomic orbitals of the defect atoms and their immediate neighbors. This approach limits the extent of the electronic orbitals to only one or two atomic spacings from the core of the defect. If we excite an electron from that state, the higher-energy state is expected to be more diffuse, just as a 2p orbital in a hydrogen atom is larger than a 1s orbital. In most semiconductors, the permittivity is large. For example, in silicon the relative permittivity is E = 11.7. The excited center can now be pictured as a hydrogenic system in which the core that has been positively charged by the removal of an electron, and the electron orbits the center, attracted to it by a Coulomb force, which is reduced by a factor of I/& compared to the attraction of the charges in a vacuum. Consequently the electron orbits in an effective-mass-like orbital. We have
76
GORDON DAVIES
seen in Fig. 19 that the excited state of a carbon-oxygen center in silicon can indeed by described in terms of an effective-mass particle orbiting an oppositely charged core. As with all general descriptions there are exceptions, to be discussed in what follows, but first we will present some examples in which this description is useful. Continuing with the Si: C - 0 center, it is striking that there is no splitting of the states by uniaxial stresses under compressions along the (1 11) direction (Fig. 19). This suggests the involvement of effective mass states composed from the conduction band minima in silicon, which lie in the (001) directions in wavevector space and so are affected equally by a (1 11) stress. To explore this further we need to look at the way these effective mass states are affected by a point defect. When an effective-mass electron is trapped at a point defect with T, symmetry, the degeneracy of the 6-conduction band minima states is expected to be lifted, on group theory grounds, to form orbital states that transform as an A , nondegenerate state, an E doubly degenerate state, and a T, triply degenerate state. The A, state is the only state with a nonzero density at its center (like a hydrogen 1s state) and so its energy can be substantially different from the E and T, energies. If the center of the defect is attractive to electrons (as for the phosphorus substitutional donor in silicon), the A, state is lowest in energy. For Si: P, the A, state lies 11.6 meV below the E state, which is only 1.3 meV below the T, state (Aggarwal and Ramdas, 1965). If the core is repulsive, the A, state is highest [as at the Li interstitial donor in silicon; the A , state is 1.8kO.l meV above the nearly degenerate E and T, states; (Aggarwal et ul., 1965)J. If stress is applied to these bound states, the matrix describing the perturbation is (Wilson and Feher, 1961)
1
A,
E"
E,
-A(5+4
W,o, -Bo,+
qoF
Bo,
A(l-6) Bog
+
T, 0 0
T, 0
Tx 0 0
0
0
0
0
0
+
0
0
A( 1- (5)
C( - 0 0 + Jia,, A(1 8)
+ +
- C(o, J?oJ
+A(1+6)
I
+
2C0, A(l+6)
(41)
1
OPTICAL
77
MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
In this symmetric matrix, the stress combinations
and oEare given by
r ~ ,
where the stress tensor components s,, are defined in terms of the crystal’s axes, as in Eq. (12). No allowance has been made in Eq. (41) for the hydrostatic stresses. As the basis states of Eq. (41) have been derived from the same parent states (the conduction-band minima), hydrostatic stresses simply shift all the levels without introducing any splitting or interactions, and can be included in the matrix by adding A ( s , syy szz)to each diagonal term. In Eq. (41), 6A is the energy separation of the A, and E states of the bound electron, and 26A is the separation of the E and T, states as a result of their localization on the T, center. The parent, conduction-bandminima states are located equivalently along the (001) directions and are affected in the same way by shear stresses. Consequently, shear stresses do not appear in Eq. (41). The meaning of the parameters B, C, and W, is that a unit compression along the z axis (so that szz= 1) splits the E states by 4B, separates T, from T, and T, by 6C and couples the A, and E, states by 2 W,. As these states are all derived from the same parent states it is possible to link the coefficients, and one finds (Wilson and Feher, 1961)
+ +
B = -C=
-W,/$
(43)
Consequently, there is only one stress parameter entering Eq. (41) and from the properties of a conduction-band electron its value is (Laude et al., 1971) B
= - 7.7 meV/GPa
(44)
When an electron is trapped at a P donor in silicon, the effect of stress on the A, state is described by a value of B, which is 92% of the free electron value; for %:As B is reduced to 80% of the free electron value (Tekippe et ul., 1972). Higher-lying states of the donors appear to have the same stress-response as the conduction band. These results indicate that the localized electron is likely to have a coupling to stress that may deviate by 20% from the free-electron value. Now let us apply these ideas to the problem of an optical center which is electrically neutral and for which the excited state can be described as by a quasi-exciton, consisting of a tightly bound hole (the “ground” state) and an effective-mass electron (the “excited” state). The electron will feel to some extent the local symmetry of the optical center. Formally, when the symmetry is lower than T, we expect the E and T, states to split under
78
GORDONDAVIES
stress. For example, suppose the symmetry is tetragonal, so that the defect has a major axis along one of the (001) directions. We can simulate the reduction in symmetry from T, to DZdby imagining that the only way the symmetry is lowered is by an “internal” stress, which acts along the required axial direction. This model is made respectable by describing the internal stress as an “effective” stress. Figure 19 shows the model at work. The center considered here is known to have monoclinic I symmetry (Foy, 1982), and has stress parameters [defined in Eqs. (14) and (15)] of A , = -13.1,
A,
=
-0.4,
A,
=
1.8, A,
= 0.5meV/GPa
(45)
Note that the A , parameter dominates : the transition is affected primarily by [OOl] stresses directed down the [OOl] axis of the center. We can introduce this axiality at the center by using a (001) effective internal compressive stress. For the carbon-oxygen center the magnitude is found to be 80MPa. Using this value for s,, with all other s,,= 0,together with A = 2.1 meV, h = - 1.05 and B = - 10.8 meV/GPa, Eq. (41) gives the zerostress splitting of the bound electron states in agreement with experiment. Increasing the stress by applying an external stress also gives a very close description of the data (Fig. 19; Thonke et al., 1985). The parameters correspond, in the absence of the internal stress, to an energy separation of the A, and E states of 12.6meV (close to the Si:P value quoted in the foregoing), and a splitting of the T, and E states by -4.4meV compared to + 1.3meV for Si:P. The B coefficient is also reduced to 75% of the free-electron value, within the expected range. In silicon, an effective-mass electron has a binding energy of about 50 meV to a donor. For the carbon-oxygen zero-phonon line, at 789meV, the hole state must be located at about (789 + 50) meV below the conduction band, that is, about 330meV above the valence band. This state has also been measured at 320 k 20meV by photobleaching of the paramagnetic resonance of C - 0’ (Lee et al., 1977), and by transient capacitance measurements at 350 meV (e.g., Murin, 1987). These independent measurements confirm the model for the excited states of the neutral center as being a tightly bound hole and an effective-mass electron. Because the effective-mass-like electron orbits with a radius of many atomic spacings, it samples the surrounding lattice. If there is another defect in that region, it may be energetically favorable for the electron to transfer to the other defect. This process has been observed, as discussed in Section V. 1 (Frens et ul., 1994). For the C - 0 center, we can ignore the effect of stress on the hole and simply use the conduction band states. For other centers a major part of the splitting comes from the tightly bound hole. An example is the Si:S + Cu
1
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
79
center discussed in Section IV.l. Uniaxial stress measurements are shown in Fig. 20 for the zero-phonon line of the “A” configuration of the center (Jeyanathan et al., 1994). The symmetry is triclinic (i.e., the point group has no symmetry elements except for the identity operation). The fit to the data has been obtained by taking the hole to be tightly bound in a state at the triclinic symmetry, and the electron in an effective-mass state in tetragonal symmetry, The A, state of the effective mass electron is lowest, and the curvature seen under stress corresponds to the E state lying about 15meV to higher energy, very similar to the carbon-oxygen center. Describing the electron by these effective mass states is noncontroversial because the electron is assumed to be distant from the core of the center. Surprisingly, we can sometimes apply the same ideas to the hole. The valence band maximum is 6-fold degenerate, in the absence of spin-orbit coupling, and can be represented by three degenerate T, orbitals. The symmetric matrix describing the effect of stress on T, states in T, symmetry is
T,
X *
T,
Again, hydrostatic terms can be added to the diagonal elements if necessary. Compared to the T, part of the conduction band matrix equation (41) we now have no restriction on including shear stresses. To describe the effect of stress on the valence band (Laude et al., 1971) requires D = 22.6 and E = 52.5meV/GPa. In reality, the valence band maximum is split by spin-orbit interaction, which in silicon is 45meV. For the Si:S Cu transition at (968 50) meV below the conduction 968meV the hole level will be band, giving a strongly localized hole. For simplicity, let us ignore the spin-orbit splitting and construct a localized state directed along the i, j , k axis by simply taking the linear combination (iTZx jTZy kT,,). The stress response of this state can be calculated from the matrix, Eq. (46), and a fit almost as good as that shown in Fig. 20 is obtained with (i, j , k ) = (0.874, 0.32,0.365). Independent optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) data placed one important axis of the center along (0.78, 0.353, 0.517), which is only 10” from (i, j , k ) (Jeyanathan et al., 1994). The fit may be fortuitous, but does suggest a simple description of the ODMR axis and stress data in terms of bound valence and conduction band states. In this example of Si:S Cu, the combination (iTZx jT,, kT,,) is an orbitally nondegenerate state. The only angular momentum is derived from
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
80
GORDON DAVIES
the spin sh = 1/2 of the hole. This spin couples with the spin s, = 1/2 of the electron to form a pair of excited states with triplet and singlet spin states, as described in Section IV.1. In a pure-spin system, optical transitions from the triplet state to the singlet (no particle) ground state are forbidden by the spin selection rule. Here they are allowed, although the ratio of transition probabilities for the triplet and singlet zero-phonon lines (their relative intensity as would be observed in an absorption spectrum) is indeed very small, 1,/13 = 1/600 (Singh et al., 1989). To understand why the triplet transition is seen at all, remember that the maximum of the valence band in silicon has angular momentum j = 3/2, split from the j = 1/2 valence band by 44MeV. A typical state from the upper valence band is the j = 3/2, inj = 1/2 state which is of the form f l ( T , , iT2y)1 - .J2/3T2, T, where t and 1 denote the two spin states. The j = 1/2, mj = 1/2 from the split-off We valence band, is f i ( T 2 x + iT2y) 1 f n T 2 =t. (Here i is can form the pure-spin state T,, T state by taking the combination m ( 3 / 2 . 1/2) - J1/3(1/2, 1/2). However, to obtain this pure-spin form requires the axiality of the center to be strong enough to overcome the spin-orbit splitting of the valence band. For any finite axiality we can calculate the mixture of the j , mj states and hence calculate the strength of the optical transitions from the “singlet” and “triplet” states, Figure 44 shows the observed transition probabilities for a set of similar, trigonal centers in silicon doped with Li (Davies, 1994). As a measure of the “axiality” of the center, the spectroscopic binding energy has been equated to the ( 1 11) perturbation of the valence band states. As the binding becomes comparable with, and then exceeds, the valence-band spin-orbit splitting, the triplet line becomes progressively quenched. What is striking here is that a very simple model, using the properties of the valence bands of perfect silicon and with no arbitrary parameters, is able to describe approximately the behavior of these real optical centres. On Fig. 44, one set of data is labelled “Q.” It originates at an optical center consisting of 4 Li atoms (Canham et ul., 1983). Tn the ground state, this complex is predicted to have T, symmetry (Tarnow, 1992), in contrast to the C,, symmetry that is observed (Davies et ul., 1984). The lower symmetry can be assigned to the effects of the degeneracy of the valence band maximum. For simplicity, let us ignore spin-orbit coupling in the valence band. The triply degenerate Tz,, T2,, T,, states can then lead to a Jahn-Teller distortion of the center in which the. T, electronic state couples to T, modes of vibration. The effect of the distortion is to relax the T, symmetry into one of the four trigonal distortions obtained by moving one apex of the tetrahedron in or out relative to the center of the tetrahedron. At this trigonal center, the orientational degeneracy (Section IV) is the result
+
fi.)
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
81
0
4 -1 --. i-:
v 0 ,+
bO
0
3
-2
0
1
1
I
40
80
120
Binding energy (mev) FIG. 44. Points show the ratios l , / I s of the intensities of the zero-phonon lines from the triplet and the singlet excited states in a series of lithium-related centers in silicon. The point for the four-lithium center discussed in the text is labelled “ Q . The exciton binding cnergy is the difference between the free-exciton energy and the observed zero-phonon line. The line is calculated assuming a 44 meV spin-orbit coupling in the valence bands and equating all the binding energy to the axial component. After Davies (1994).
of a T, center spontaneously distorting into an arbitrarily chosen trigonal direction. Different orientations can therefore interact with each other, leading to the stress-induced mixing of states at different orientations (Fig. 25).
2. HOLE-EFFECTIVE MASSSTATES The paradigm discussed in the last section can be reversed so that there is a tightly bound electron and a shallow hole. This situation occurs at several hydrogen-carbon complexes in silicon (Safonov et al., 1995; Safonov et al., 1996b; Gower et ul., 1997). These centers contain one hydrogen atom, leading to a convenient situation in which, in the ground electronic state, the proton is neutralized by one electron. In the excited state, the bound exciton contributes one more electron, which spin-pairs with the first to
82
GORDON DAVIES
produce a spin-zero electronic state, and the hole is left as a single excited particle orbiting the single positively charged core. The hole can be described using the upper valence band only. In the j, mj basis set (referred to the crystal axes) the matrix for stress interactions is
1 1 3 1
12’:1 2’ 2
2’
-2
1
f -Do&
2,
3
1 1 2’ 2
3
1 L 2’ 2
1 -1
2’ 2 - E(s,, - isY,)/,/3 -Do,/2 + i E s x Y / , / 3
1 -3 2’
2
0
\
0.
The symbols are as already defined, and i = Again, the local field of the center can be represented by an equivalent internal stress, which for these centers is of the order of 60 to 100 C P a (Cower et ul., 1997; Safonov et al., 1995), similar to the value for the S i c - 0 center of Section VIII.1. This internal stress splits the j = 3/2 valence band state, producing the doublet zero-phonon structure observed at the centers, and a further externally applied stress then produces an additional perturbation of the zero-phonon states that can be described by simply adding the external stress components to Eq. (47) [Fig. 451.
3. APPLICABILITY OF THE MODELING Most deep centers in silicon can be described using effective-mass excited states. Others cannot be described in this way, and both the ground and excited states appear to be strongly localized on the center. One way of verifying that the effective-mass modeling is applicable is when a Rydberg series of excited states can be observed, but this requires access to the excited states by absorption, or more likely photoluminescence excitation (Section 11.5). Another is that perturbations of the states are explicable in terms of the free-particle states. Yet another suggestion that the effective mass approach may be valid comes from the radiative lifetime z of the luminescence. Longer radiative decay times are expected for excited states in which the particles are widely separated in space (one highly localized, one diffuse) compared to centers with both particles in compact orbitals. For example, the values of z for the allowed singlet transitions of centers discussed in this chapter that have one diffuse particle are: for the Si:Cu + S center (977 meV zero-phonon line) z = 5ps, Brown and Hall (1986); for the C - 0 center (789 meV zero-phonon line) z = 14 & 2ps, Bohnert et al. (1993); for the similar
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
83
940 936 932
5
h
940
W
%
c a, c
936
3 0 932 c
n
r
I
940 936 932 0
80
160
Stress (M Pa) FIG. 45. A carbon-hydrogen center in silicon produces the “T” center with a pair of zero-phonon lines near 936meV. The points show the effect of compressive stress applied along (a) the (001) axis, (b) the (111) axis, and (c) the (110) axis. The lines are calculated using a matrix of the form of Eq. (47). The valence band maximum is split by the local effective strain field of the center, and the two zero-phonon lines are transitions between the shallow valence-band-like hole states and a tightly bound electron. After Safonov et al. (1995).
‘ Pcenter (767 meV zero-phonon line) z 5 p , Bohnert et al. (1993); for the N
Li-related ‘Q’ center (1045 meV zero-phonon line) T = 9.5ps, Lightowlers et al. (1984); and hydrogen-related damage centers (zero-phonon lines at 1147 to 1137meV) T = 12 to 4 p , Kaminskii et al. (1996). In contrast, some strongly luminescent centers have much shorter lifetimes, such as the family
84
GORDONDAVIES
of radiation-damage centers whose precursor, the “W” or “11” center, has its zero-phonon lines at 1018.9meV with 5 = 28 rt_ 2 ns (Bohnert et al., 1989), with states that do not respond to perturbations in the way expected for shallow states.
IX. Zero-phonon Lineshapes We noted in Section 11.2 that a zero-phonon line is broadened into a Lorentzian lineshape at high temperature. As T+ 0, the thermal broadening is frozen out, leaving a zero-phonon line with a nonzero width. In this limit both the width and the shape of the zero-phonon line provide valuable information on the environment containing the optical centers. The observed zero-phonon line is the sum of the contributions of many optical centers, where “many” is 10” for a concentration of centers of loL6 cm-3 and an effective volume determined by excitation that is perhaps lOpm deep and l m m in diameter. Each optical center is in a slightly different environment to all the others, resulting in the zero-phonon line being at a unique perturbed energy. It is the envelope of all the transitions, which is observed as the zero-phonon line (Fig. 46). The origin of the perturbations can be any of the mechanisms that perturb optical transitions, but as we saw in Section IV strains are particularly important. The strains may be derived from a bad mounting of the sample. For example, the sample may be held by a metal clamp that is gently tightened at room temperature but tightens considerably as a result of differential contraction on cooling. This source of stress is detectable by the irregular (asymmetric) lineshape it produces. However, even if this type of spurious stress is avoided there are still strains inside the crystal as a result of the presence of defects such as impurities (other than the optical centers). For a given sample, the background strains place a lower limit on the resolution possible by orthodox optical measurements. Small perturbations can be detected by lock-in techniques when the perturbation can be modulated, as for electric-field perturbations (Section IV.2). Considerably higher effective resolution can be obtained if it is possible to “burn” a “hole” in the zero-phonon line (Kharlamov et al., 1974; de Vries and Wiersma, 1976; Howley et al., 1984). In this technique, a laser is tuned to a wavelength within the range of wavelengths covered by the zero-phonon line. The laser may reduce the optical absorption in the line, for example by ionizing those optical centers that absorb at that wavelength (see Fig. 46). Ideally the width of the hole will be determined by the convolution of the laser linewidth (say, 100 MHz = 4 x meV) and the lifetime of the excited state of the center
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
0
20
40
60
80
85
100
Energy FIG. 46. Representation of an observed zero-phonon line (outer envelope) as thc sum of individual components with slightly different peak positions. Each component could represent an optical transition at one optical center.
meV for z 3 s). For diamond, where optical transitions (<6 x are conveniently in the visible spectral range, zero-phonon linewidths are typically about 1 meV. Consequently, hole burning can provide a considerable increase in resolution. The burnt hole can be detected by scanning the absorption (or by measuring the photoluminescence spectrum) using a low-power tunable laser. A crystalline defect produced by an impurity atom generally creates strain, for example as a result of its bond-lengths to neighboring atoms being different from the bond-lengths of the host atoms. The effect is seen on the macroscopic level by a change in the lattice parameter, such as is determined by X-ray diffraction. For example, the fractional change A u/u of the silicon lattice when it contains substitutional carbon at a concentration [C] is AU/U = -6.5 x 10-24[C]
(48)
where [C] is in cm-3 (Baker et d., 1968). The lattice change is proportional to the carbon content and is in agreement with Vegard's law in the sense
86
GORDON DAVIES
that Eq. (48) extrapolates to the lattice constant of cubic Sic. Other impurities produce similar-sized displacements r e g , interstitial oxygen (Takano and Maki, 1973), boron (Mihara et ul., 1976), and shallow donors (Pajot and Stoneham, 1987)l. These lattice changes are caused by the displacement of the crystal around the defect. Treating the lattice as an isotropic continuum, the displacement u at a distance r from one defect is
u = Ar/r3
(49)
and so obeys an inverse square law with distance. The size of A is determined experimentally for an isotropic continuum by
where 0 is Poisson’s ratio for the continuum (Eshelby, 1956). An optical center placed at r is displaced through u, but this does not perturb the center. The perturbation comes from the strain created by the reduction in u as r increases. The strain tensor components (Section IV.l) at the point r from one defect are
where x, y, z = xl, x2, x j . Because the strains are usually within the range of linear elastic response, the effect of many defects is simply the sum of the contributions from each defect. For a given assembly of defects around an optical center, each strain tensor component e,] at the center can be calculated from the sum of the individual contributions to e,, from each defect. The perturbation of that optical center can then be calculated from the known response of the transition to applied strains (Section IV.1). For example, for an optical transition at a monoclinic I center we are interested in the components of e,/that transform as the totally symmetric respresentation of the point group (Section IV), so that the perturbation is
Ahv
= B , e,,
+ B2(exx+ eyy)+ 2B3exy+ 2B,(e, - eyz)
(52)
Here the Bi are the change in energy per unit strain, analogous to the Ai of Eqs. (14) and (15). The problem is to calculate the distribution of Ahv for the independent optical centers, each of which is perturbed by a random distribution of point defects. Stoneham (1969) has given the mathematics
1
OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINTDEFECTS
87
involved. Application involves either numerical integration of the expressions or the use of approximations (Davies, 1971). Alternatively, a purely numerical approach can be carried out in which a Monte Carlo calculation is used to randomly distribute defects near an optical center, and the calculation is repeated many times to generate the spread in perturbations (Safanov et al., 1996a). One important result from the numerical simulations is that it is only those defects within a relatively small radius R of the optical center which produce significant contributions to the linewidth. The value of R depends on the density p of the defects that produce the broadening, and it is found that R 3 z 5/p. The sphere of influence is, therefore, for (5 x 1017cm-3). example, only R % 80 atomic spacings for p = One very valuable use of the theory is to monitor the effects of processing a crystal. For example, Fig. 47 shows the loss in absorption of a two-carbon atom system in silicon during annealing (Davies et al., 1991). The loss is probably caused by the breakup of the center, liberating one of the C atoms. The intensity of absorption (proportional to the concentration of centers, Section 11.2) as a function of annealing time can be fitted using the sum of two exponential decays. The width of the zero-phonon transition also increases upon annealing and the linewidth can be fitted using the same exponential time as for the faster component of the decay in intensity : the fast loss is caused by the breakup of optical centers in a cleaner local environment. The reason is that the strain broadening is caused in this case by carbon atoms. Breakup of a two-carbon center in a part of the lattice that contains a high concentration of carbon can lead to the formation of another two-carbon center, prolonging the lifetime of the optical centers; in contrast, those optical centers in a region of low carbon are only slightly perturbed (small linewidth) but can break up cleanly. From the value of R in the preceding paragraph, regions of high and low concentrations need only be a few hundred atomic spacings across. This type of monitoring of the width of a zero-phonon line during processing gives valuable information on the stability of centers in different environments. The qualitative use of the linewidths to monitor the processes occurring during the treatment of a sample is a very powerul technique.
X. Conclusion The purpose of this chapter has been to describe some of the basic applications of optical measurements for characterizing optical centers in semiconductors. We have seen that the very high accuracy of spectroscopic measurements usually allows an unambiguous association of a photo-
88
GORDON DAVIES
n
ei
I
EV
W
a
0
.r(
Y
Efi 53 e
4
0
200
400
600
800
1000
Annealing time (rnin) FIG. 47. Variation in linewidth during annealing the two-carbon ‘G’ center in silicon. (a) The measured absorption (squares) decreases with annealing time as thc sum of two exponential curves. Thc linewidth increases as shown by the points in (b), and can be fitted using the faster 01‘ the exponential dccay times from (a). Evidently, after the fast decay, the surviving optical centers are in a more strained environment than on average for the unannealed centers. After Davies rt ul. (1991).
luminescence spectrum with one particular optical center. “Particular” here means specific chemical impurities, with the atoms arranged in one defined structure, and in a certain charge state. Changing the chemistry, or the molecular structure or the charge state results in a change in the luminescence spectrum. We have seen how the chemistry can be identified (Section 111) using, particularly, isotope effects, and how some structural information can be obtained by using perturbation techniques (Section IV), although
1 OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS OF POINT DEFECTS
89
more detailed data can be obtained from techniques based on paramagnetic resonance. Photoluminescence is a near surface technique, allowing spatial resolution on the scale of several micrometers (Section VI), and data on the environment within that volume can be obtained by monitoring the lineshape of the luminescence (Section IX). However, luminescence is not usually a quantitative probe of the concentrations of the optical centers, although by combining the radiative lifetime (Section V) with optical absorption measurements (Section 11.2) one can estimate concentrations within a factor of two. Photo- and cathodoluminescence will remain significant tools in the immediate future, for example in nondestructive investigations of epitaxial layers. In the last decade the use of Fourier transform spectrometers for photoluminescence measurements has become widespread, allowing the rapid acquisition of broad-band spectra at very high resolution. The next development of the luminescence technique is already in progress : the use of cooled spectrometers (at loOK), which reduce the noise and spurious signal from blackbody radiation from the inside of the spectrometer, at longer allowing considerable gains in signal-to-noise ratio (S,”) wavelengths (greater than about 3.5,um; Lacroix et ul., 1996). Finally, we should not underestimate the enormous developments during the 1990s of “first principles” calculations, which now allow the structural and vibrational properties of the electronic ground states of centers to be predicted with accuracy, and which can now remove ambiguities in the interpretation of luminescence data.
References Aggarwal, R.L. and Ramdas, A.K. (1965). Phys. Rev., 140, A1246. Aggarwal, R.L., Fisher, P., Mourzine, V., and Ramdas, A.K., (1965). Phys. Rev. 138, A882. Baker, J.A., Tucker, T.N., Moyer, N.E., and Buchert, R.C. (1968). J . Appl. Phys. 39, 4365. Bates, C.A. (1978). Phys. Reports, 35, 187. Bech Nielsen, B. (1988). Phys. Rev., B37, 63.53. Bohnert, G., Hangleiter, A,, Weronek, K., and Thonke, K. (1989). M a t . Sci. Forum, 38-41, 361. Bohnert, G., Weronek, K., and Hangleiter, A. (1993). Phys. Reu., 848, 14973. Bosomworth, D.R., Hayes, W., Spray, A. R. L., and Watkins, G . D. (1970). Proc. R. Soc. London, A317, 133. Brown, T. G. and Hall, D. G. (1986). Appl. Phys. Lett., 49, 245. Busch, E., Haneman, D., and McAlpine, N.S. (1996). Appl. Phys. Lett., 68, 385. Canham, L. T., Davies, G., and Lightowlers, E. C. (1983). Physicu, 117B & 118B, 119. Canham, L. T. (1988). Private communication. Canham, L. T., Davies, G., and Lightowlers, E. C. (1985). In: Thirteenth Internationul Coiferenee on Defects in Srmicunductors (Metallurgical Society of AIME, Pittsburgh, L. C . Kimerling and J. M. Parsey, Jr., eds.), p. 847.
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Canham, L.T. and Lightowlers, E.C. (1986). Muter. Sci. Forum, 10-12, 1099. Chantre, A. and Bois, D. (1985). Phys. Rev., B31, 7979. Chen, W. M., Janzen, E., Monemar, B., Henry, A., Frens, A. M., Bennebroek, M. T., and Schmidt, J. (1994). Mat. Sci. Forum, 143-147, 1179. Ciechanowska, Z, Davies, G . and Lightowlers, E.C. (1984). Solid Stute Comrnun., 49, 427. Clark, C. D. and Norris, C. A. (1970). J . Phys., C3, 651. Clark, C. D. and Norris, C. A. (1971). J . Phys., C4, 2223. Clark, C. D., Kanda, H., Kiflawi, I., and Sittas, G. (1995). Phys. Reu., B51, 16681. Colley P.McL. and Lightowlers, E.C. (1987). Semicond. Sci. Technol., 2, 157. Collins, A. T. (1989). J . Phys.: Condens. Matter, 1, 439. Daub, E. and Wiirfel, P. (1995). Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 1020. Davies, G. (1971). J . Appl. Phys. 4, 1340. Davies, G. (1981). Rep. Proy. Phys., 44, 787. Davies G . (1989). Phys. Reports, 176, 83. Davies, G. (1994). Physicu Scriptu, T54, 7. Davies, G., Canham, L. T., and Lightowlers. E. C. (1984). J . Phys. C : Solid State, 17, L173. Davies, G . and do Carmo, M. C. (1981). J . Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 14, L687. Davies, G., Kiflawi, 1.. Sittas, G.. and Kanda, H. (1997). J . Phys.: Condens. Mutter 9, 3871. Davies, G., Kwok, T. K., and Reade, T. (1991). Phys. Rev., B44, 12146. Davies, G., Lawson, S. C., Collins, A. T., Mainwood, A,, and Sharp, S. J. (1992). Phys. Reo. 46, 13157. Davies, G . , Lightowlers, E. C., and do Carmo, M. (1983). J . Phys., C16, 5503. Davies,G., Lightowlers, E. C., Newman, R. C., and Oates, A. S . (1987a). Semicond. Sci. Technol., 2. 524. Davies, G . . Lightowlers, E. C., Stavola, M., Bergman, K., and Svensson, B. (1987b). Phys Reo., B35, 2755. Davies, G.. Lightowlers, E. C., Thomaz. M. F., and Wilkes, J. G. (1988). Semicond. Sci. and Technol., 3, 608. Davies, G. and Manson, N. B. (1980). lndustriul Diumond Reoiew, p. 50. Davies, G . and Nazare, M. H. (1980). J . Phys., C13, 4127. Davies, G., Park, S.-C. Higgs, V., and Sawyer, W. D. (1993). Appl. Phys. Lett., 63, 1783. Davies, G., Welbourne, C., and Newton, M. E. (1997). Unpublished. Dean, P. J., Hayncs, J. R., and Flood, W. F. (1967). Phys. Rev., 161, 711. Dean, P. J. and Herbert, D.C. (1979). In: Excitons, K. Cho, ed., Springer, Berlin, p. 55. de Mello, N. (1990). Private communication. de Vos, J. C. (1954). Physicu, 20, 690. de Vries, H. and Wiersma, D.A. (1976). Phys. Rev. Lett., 36. 91. Dexter, D. L. (1953). J . Chern. Phys., 21, 836. Englman, R. (1972). The Jahn Teller Ejiect in Molecules und Solids, Wiley-lnterscience, New York. Eshelby, J. D. (1956). Solid Stute Physics Advunces in Reseurch and Applications, F. Seitz and D. Turnbull eds., Aademic Press, New York, Vol. 3, p. 79. Foy, C. P. (1982). J . Phys. C: Solid Srute Phys., 15, 2059. Foy, C. P., do Carmo, M. C., Davies, G., and Lightowlers, E. C. (1981). J . Phys., C14, L7. Frens, A. M., Bennebroek, M. T., Zakrzewski, A., Schmidt, J., Chen, W. M., Janzen, E., Lindstrom, J. L., and Monemar, B. (1994). Phys. Rev. Lett., 72, 2939. Cower, J.. Davies, G., Lightowlers, E. C., and Safonov, A. N. (1997). Muter. Sci. Forum, 258-263. 289. Gregson, M. (1987). Private communication. Curer, E., Benson, B. W., and Watkins, G . D. (1992). Marer. Sci. Forum, 83-87, 339.
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Ham, F. S. (1972). in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, Plenum Press, New York. Harley, R. T., Henderson, M. J., and Macfarlane, R. M. (1984). J . Pkys. C : Solid State Phys., 17, L233. Henry, M. O., Daly, S. E., Frehill, C. A., McGlynn, E., McDonagh, C., Alves, E., Soares, J. C., and Forkel, D. (1996). In: Proc. Int. Coct Phys. Semicond. 23, (M. Schemer and R. Zimmermann, eds.), World Scientific, p. 27 13. Herzberg, G., Spectra of Diatomic Molecules, (D. Van Nostrand, New York, 1950). Hughes, A. E. ( 1 966). Proc. Phys. Soc., 88, 449. Hughes, A. E. and Runciman, W. A. (1967). Proc. Phys Soc., 90,827. Jellison, G. E. and Modine, F. A. (1982). Appl. Phys. Lett., 15, 180. Jeyanathan, L. (1995). Ph.D. Thesis, University of London. Jeyanathan, L., Davies, G., Lightowlers, E. C., Singh, M., Sun, H. J., Ittermann, B., Ostapenko, S. S., Barry, W. A,, Mason, P., and Watkins. G. D. (1994). Mat. Sci. Forum, 143-147, 1167. Jones, R., Torres, V. J. B., Briddon, P. R., and oberg, S. (1994). Mat. Sci. Forum, 143-147,45. Kaminskii, A. S., Lavrov, E. V., Davies, G., Lightowlers, E. C., and Safonov, A. N. (1996). Semicond. Sci. Technol., 11, 1796. Kanda, H. and Sekine, T. (1994). In: Properties and Growth of Diamond, G . Davies, ed., INSPEC for the Institution of Electrical Engineers, p. 409. Kaplyanskii, A. A. (1964). Opt. Specrrosc., 16, 329. Kaplyanskii, A. A. (1964). Opt. Spectrosc., 16, 557. Kaplyanskii, A. A,, Kolyshkin, V. I., Medvedev, V. N., and Skvortsov, A. P. (1971). Sou. Phys., 12, 2867. Kaplyanskii, A. A,, Medvedev, V. N., and Skvortsov, A. P., (1970). Opt. Spektrosk., 29, 905. Kharlamov, B. M., Personov, R. I. and Bykovskaya, L. A. (1974). Opt. Commun., 12, 191. Kleverman, M. (1998). Mat. Sci. Forum. In press. Knopf, M., Henry, M. O., and Deicher, M. (1998). Private communication. Koster, G. F., Dimmock, J. O., Wheeler, R. G., and Statz, H. (1963). Properties ofthe 7hirty-Two Point Groups, M.I.T. Press, Cambridge, Mass. Kulakovskii, V. D., Lcvinson, I. B., and Tirnofeev, V. B. (1978). Sou. Phys.-Solid State, 20,230. Lacroix, Y., Tran, C. A., Watkins, S. P., and Thewalt, M. L. W. (1996). J . Appl. Phys., 80,6416. Laude, L. D., Pollack, F. H., and Cardona, M. (1971). Phys. Rev., B3, 2623. Lawson, S. C., Kanda, H., Watanabe, K., Kiflawi, I., Sato, Y., and Collins, A. T. (1996). J . Appl. Phys., 79 4348. Lee, Y. H., Corbett, J. W., and Brower, K. L. (1977). Phys. Status Solidi (a), 41, 637. Lightowlers, E. C., Canham, L. T.,Davies, G., Thewalt, M. L. W., and Watkins, S. P. (1984). Phys. Rev., B29, 4517. Magerle, R., Burchard, A., Kerle, T., Pfeiffer, W., and Deicher, M. (1995). M a t . Sci. Forum., 196-201, 1503. Merle, J. C . , Capizzi, M., Fiorini, P., and Frova, A. (1978). Phys. Reu.. B17, 4821. Mihara, M., Hara, T, Arai, M., Nakajima, M., and Nakamura, S. (1976). Appl. Phys. Lett., 29. 1. Mohammed, K., Davies, G., and Collins, A. T. (1982). J Phys., C15, 2779. Murin, L. 1. (1987). Phys. Status Solidi (a), 101, K107. Nazark, M. H., Neves, A. J., and Davies, G. (1991). Phys. Rev., 843, 14196. Newman, R. C. and Willis, J. B. (1965).J . Phys. Chem. Solids, 26, 373. Newton, M. E. (1997). Private communication. Pajot, B. and Stoneham, A. M. (1987). J . Phys.: Condens. Matter, 20, 5241. Pettifer, R. F., Glanfield, A,, Gardelis, S., Hamilton, B., Dawson, P., and Smith, A. D. (1995). Physica, B208-209, 484. Pfister, M., Johnson, M. B., Alvarado, S. F., Salemink, H. W. M., Marti, U., Martin, D., Morier-Genoud, F., and Reinhart, F. K. (1994). Appl. Phys. Lett., 65, 1168.
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Pickard, C. D. O., Davis. T. J., Gilmore, A., Wang, W. N., and Steeds, J. W. (1997). Diamond und Related Mtit., 6, 1062. Safanov, A. N., Lightowlers, E. C., and Davies, G. (1995). Mut. Sci. Forum, 196-201, 909. Safonov, A. N. and Lightowlers, E. C. (1996). Mrrt. Sri. Eng., 36, 251. Safdnov, A. N., Davies, G., and Lightowlers, E. C . (1996a). Plrys. RPD.,B54, 4409. Safanov, A. N., Lightowlers, E. C., Davies, G., Leary, P., Jones, R., and oherg, S., (1996b). Phys. Rev. Le/l. 77. 4812. Safanov, A. N., Davies, G., and Lightowlers, E. C. (1997a). Proc. Int. Con$ Shallow Levels in Semiconductors, Amsterdam 1996. Safonov, A. N., Lightowlers, E. C., and Davies, G., (1997a). Shullow-levels Centers in Semiconductors, (World Scientific, Singapore; eds. C. A. J. Ammerlaan and B. Pajot, 1997). p. 43. Safanov, A. N., Davies, G . ,and Lightowlers, E. C. (1997b). Phys. Rev., B56, R15517. Safonov, A. N. (1996). 1996 private communication Sakauchi, S., Suezdwa, M., Sumino, K., and Natashima, H., (1996). J . Appl. Phys., 80, 6198. Samuelson, L. and Gustafsson, A. (1995). Phys. Rev. Lett., 74, 2395. Schmid, W., Nieper, U., and Weber, J. (1983). Solid Sure Commun., 4S, 1007. Shaklce, K. L. and Nahory, R. E. (1970). P h j Rev. ~ Lett.. 24, 942. Singh, M., Lightowlers, E. C., Davies, G., Jeynes, C., and Reeson, K. J. (1989). Mat. Sci. und Engineering. B4, 303. Singh, M., Davies, G., Lightowlers, E. C., and Watkins, G. D. (1993). Mut. Sci. Forum, 117-118, 141. Steiner, T. and Thewalt, M. L. W. (1984). Solid Stute Commun., 49, 1121. Stoneham, M.A. (1969). Reu. Mod. Phys., 41, 82. Sturge, M. D. (1967). Solid Stute Phys., 20, 91. Takano, Y. and Maki, M . (1973). In: Semiconductor Silicon, H. R. Huff and R. B. Burgess eds., Electrochemical Soc., Princeton, p. 469. Tarnow, E. (1992). J . Phys. Condensed Mutter, 4, 1459. Tekippe, V. J., Chandrasekhar, H. R., Fisher, P., and Ramdas, A. K. (1972). Phys. Ref)., B6, 2348. Thewalt, M . L. W. (1977). Can. J . Phys., 55, 1463. Thewalt, M. L. W., Kirrenow, G., Parsons, R. R., and Barrie, R. (1976). Cun. J . Phys. 54, 1728. Thewalt, M. L. W., Rostworowski, J. A,, and Kirczenow, G. (1979). Can. J . Phys., 57, 1898. Thomaz, M. F. and Davies, G. (1978). Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A, 362,405. Thonke, K., Hangleiter, A., Wagner J., and Sauer. R. (1985). J . Phys., C18, L795. Tinkham, M. (1964). Group Theory and Quantum Meckunics, McGraw-Hill, New York. Trombetta, J. M. and Watkins, G . D. (1987). Appl. Phys. Lett., 51, 1103. Vouk, M. A. and Lightowlers, E. C. (1977a). J . Phys., C10, 3689. Vouk, M. A. and Lightowlers, E. C. (1977h). J . Lumin., 15, 17. Wada, T., Fujimoto, H., Sohue, S., and Masuda, H. (1997). Physicu Stat. Sol. A: Applied Keserirch, 161, 133. Wantanahe, K., Lawson, S. C., Isoya, J., Kanda, H.. and Sato, Y. (1997). Diamond und Re/. Mat., 6, 99. Wherrett, B. S . (1986). Group Theoryfor Aroms, Molecules and Solids, Prentice-Hall International (U.K.). Ltd. ISBN 0-13-365461-3. Wilson, D. K . and Fehcr, F. (1961). Phys. Rea. 124, 1068. Yacobi, B. G . and Holt, D. €3. (1986). J . Appl. P11ys.,S9, R1. Zaitscv, A. M., Melnikov, A. A., Denisenko, A. V., Varichenko, V. S., Job, R., and Fahrner, W. R. (1996). Mat. Rex Soc. Symp. Proc., 416, I 1 3. Zhu, M.-X., Davies, G., Iqbal, M. Z . , and Lightowlers, E. C. (1997). Mat. Sci. Forum, 285-263, 485.
SEMICONIIIJCTORS A N D SEMIMkTALS, VOL SIB
CHAPTER 2
Defect Identification Using Capacitance Spectroscopy P. M. Mooney IBM
RESEARCII
DlVlSlOh
T.J. WATSONRI:S~AKCI< C~NTEK YIIHK’TOWN
HEIGHTS, NtW
YOKK
I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. CHARACTERISTICS OF DEEP LEVELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
H I . CAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOIJY METHODS . . . . . . . 1. Trcmsient Capucitmce Meusurements . . . . . . . 2. Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy . . . . . . . . 3. Instrunientatiori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV. DEFECT IDENTI~ICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Deject Complexes in Si . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. D X Centers in I l l - V Compound Semiconductor Alloys V. CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REFERENCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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93 94 98 99 107 1 15 119 120 131 146 146
I. Introduction The technological importance of semiconductors derives from the fact that their electrical conductivity is easily modified by the addition of low concentrations of impurity atoms, which substitute for the host atoms in the lattice. Substitutional impurities that introduce electronic states lying close to the bottom of the conduction band or the top of the valence band in the band gap of the semiconductor are referred to as shallow donor or acceptor states. Other impurity atoms, intrinsic defects such as vacancies, interstitials or antisites, and complexes of impurities and intrinsic defects introduce levels in the gap that are farther away from the band edges and are referred to as “deep levels.” Such levels are present in all known semiconductors and affect their properties, even when present in very low concentrations. Fast recombination centers, such as gold in silicon, may be intentionally introduced to increase the switching frequency of a device. GaAs grown by the liquid encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) method is semi-insulating because 93 Copyright ,p 1999 by Academic Prcai All rights o i reproduction in any form reserved. ISBN 0-12-752165-8 ISSN0080-8784 $30.00
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the Fermi level is pinned at mid-gap by arsenic antisite defects. Both a thorough knowledge of the electronic and optical properties of deep states and also the identification of the atomic configurations that introduce them are essential if their concentrations are to be controlled so as to utilize their desirable characteristics for various applications and avoid their deleterious effects. To fully characterize a deep level and to understand its role in a particular electronic or optoelectronic device, as many as 10 quantities need to be measured: the thermal and optical capture rates for electrons and holes, the thermal and optical emission rates for electrons and holes, the energy position, and the concentration (Grimmeiss, 1977). In this chapter we will demonstrate that deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and other capacitance methods are ideal for measuring many of these quantities. Furthermore, these methods are spectroscopic, and therefore, different deep level species in the material or device can be detected and studied. Another important advantage of junction space charge methods is the ability to control the charge state of the defects in the junction, allowing charge-state dependent processes to be studied and metastable defect configurations to be revealed. The DLTS technique is widely used because it can be applied both to simple Schottky barrier diodes fabricated by deposition of a metal film at room temperature on the material of interest and to real device structures (or test structures of larger dimension processed simultaneously with real devices). Thus this method is suitable for studying deep levels introduced during the growth of semiconductors by bulk or epitaxial crystal growth methods as well as those introduced by the various processes used to fabricate semiconductor devices and circuits. This chapter begins with a brief summary of the properties of deep levels with emphasis on those which can be measured using capacitance spectroscopy. Next is a description of the most widely used capacitance spectroscopy methods, including a discussion of the instrumentation with which they are implemented. Several defects identified through the use of these methods are then cited as illustrations of the strengths of these techniques. No attempt is made to be comprehensive here, as the wide variety of semiconductors characterized by these methods and the number of defects studied in detail in the last 20 years alone has created a vast literature on the subject.
11. Characteristics of Deep Levels
The properties of defect energy levels have been thoroughly described elsewhere (Bourgoin and Lannoo, 1983; Grimmeiss, 1977; Lannoo and
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATIONUSINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 95
Bourgoin, 1981; Miller et al., 1977), therefore only a brief summary of the relevant characteristics is given here. The large ionization energy of deep levels implies a strong potential that localizes the wave function of the electron or hole near the site of the defect. A consequence of localization in real space is delocalization in k-space, which results in two important properties. First, deep states tend to be nonradiative recombination centers rather than radiative recombination centers, because the large extent in k-space allows the defect to couple strongly with a variety of phonons. Second, the entire band structure must be involved in a theoretical description of the defect, making calculations of the energies of deep states much more complicated than calculations of the shallow states of the substitutional impurities typically used as dopants in semiconductors. Deep defect states are often referred to as traps, recombination centers, generation centers, or deep levels. In a neutral semiconductor an electron trap can be defined as a defect for which the electron capture rate c, is much larger than the hole capture rate, cp. In contrast, a recombination center is one for which both c, and cp are large. The defect has capture cross sections cn and cp for capturing electrons and holes, respectively. The electron and hole capture rates are given by c, = c, (v,)n
and
where n and p are the electron and hole concentrations and
where m* is the effective mass of the electron, k is Boltzmann’s constant, and T is the temperature in Kelvin. An analogous equation holds for (u,). It is clear from the expressions for c, and cp that the capture rates depend on the doping concentrations in the material. All defects are traps in the depletion region of a diode with no leakage current, because the carrier concentrations are zero and recombination cannot occur. Thus the defect states observed by capacitance spectroscopy are usually referred to as traps. Defect states are often referred to as majority or minority carrier traps. Obviously an electron trap is a majority carrier trap in n-type material and a minority carrier trap in p-type material. In the context of capacitance spectroscopy, a majority carrier trap is one that is induced to capture a
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majority carrier and is then subsequently observed by the effect that the emission of that carrier has on the junction capacitance. Thermal emission rates are proportional to a Boltzmann factor exp( -AE/kT), where AE is the depth of the trap (free energy) from the band edge to which the carrier is emitted. The emission rate of an electron is given by ell = A , exp( -AE/kT)
(4)
where A, is a property of the particular defect and AE = E, - E , , where E, and E,. are the energies of the conduction band and the trap, respectively. Using the principle of detailed balance, which states that in neutral material at thermal equilibrium the emission and capture rates must be equal, the emission rate of electrons to the conduction band can be written as (Miller et a/., 1977) en =
9
exp(-AE/kT)
where N , is the effective density of states in the conduction band and g is the degeneracy of the defect level. Note that the quantity (u,)N,. varies as T 2 . This temperature dependence is accounted for when the quantity e,T2 is plotted against 1/T on the Arrhenius plot used to determine AE. An analogous expression holds for hole emission to the valence band. The thermal emission and capture processes at deep levels are illustrated in Fig. l(a). The electron and hole capture cross sections may be independent of temperature, but in general they are not (Grimmeiss, 1977; Miller et al., 1977). Cascade capture via excited states of a Coulomb attractive center increases at low temperature where thermal re-emission of carriers from the shallow Coulomb states is small. Experimentally it is found that o CT T-" (or ncx T k mfor a repulsive center). Carrier capture by multiphonon emission via lattice relaxation is an important mechanism for deep levels (Henry and Lang, 1975; Lang and Henry, 1975), and in that case the capture cross section has the form (r
= omexp( - E , / k T )
(6)
where E , is the thermal activation energy of the capture cross section. Thus a more general expression for the thermal emission rate of electrons to the conduction band is
where the thermal activation energy for emission of an electron to the
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY
c
97
EV
FIG. 1. Thermal and optical emission and capture processes. E,-E, is the binding energy for electrons and E , - E , is the binding energy for holes. (a) Thermal emission (e,,e,) and capture (c,,, cp) rates for electrons and holes; anh (b) optical emission (ei, ei) and capture (ci) rates for electrons and holes.
conduction band determined from an Arrhenius plot has two components, the energy difference between the trap level and the bottom of the conduction band and the thermal activation energy of the capture cross section. The activation energy for thermal emission is the most commonly used parameter to characterize a deep level. However, the physical parameter AE in Eqs. (4), (5) and (7) is the Gibbs free energy
E,
-
E,
=
AE
AH - TAS
(8)
where AH and AS are the changes in enthalpy and entropy due to the change in charge state of the level. Combining Eqs. (5) and (8) gives en = crn(un)Ncexp(AS/k) exp(AH1kT)
9
(9)
Thus the slope of an Arrhenius plot yields the enthalpy of the deep level, not the free energy, which can only be determined from optical measure-
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ments (Almbladh and Rees, 1981; Engstrom and Alm, 1978; Miller et ul., 1977; Van Vechten and Thurmond, 1976). However, from Eq. (8) it is easy to see that the activation energy obtained from the slope of an Arrhenius plot is equal to the free energy obtained at T = 0 K. This is generally not the same as the free energy at the measurement temperature, due to the temperature dependence of the band gap energy. A linear extrapolation may not give an accurate value, as the dependence of the band gap energy on temperature is not in general linear. For temperatures greater than absolute zero, therefore, the energy position of the trap can only be determined accurately when the temperature dependence of the band gap energy is known (Grimmeiss, 1977). In addition to being emitted by thermal excitation, carriers may also be emitted from defect states by optical excitation. The optical emission rate of an electron from a deep level to the conduction band is given by
where a; is the photoionization cross section and 4 is the photon flux expressed in units of cm-2 s- '. Similarly for hole emission to the valence band
Equation (11) is equivalent to an electron capture process in which a photon excites an electron from the valence band to the defect level. These optical emission and capture processes are illustrated in Fig. l(b). The two optical cross sections, which are functions of the photon energy, define the optical properties of a defect state. In fact, in n-type material o;(hv) is the optical absorption spectrum of the defect and a;((hv) is equivalent to the photoluminescence spectrum (Miller et ul., 1977). The roles of a; and a; are reversed in p-type material. Optical emission rates can be determined from photocurrent or photocapacitance measurements, as will be discussed later.
111. Capacitance Spectroscopy Methods
Capacitance measurements have long been used to monitor charge in the depletion region of a Schottky barrier or p-n junction diode. Capacitancevoltage measurements are a standard technique for measuring the net carrier concentration profile in the depletion region of a diode (Baxandal et
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 99
ai., 1971; Copeland, 1969; Hilibrand and Gold, 1960; Johnson and Panousis, 1971; Miller, 1972) and also the Schottky barrier height or built-in potential of the device (Sze, 1969). Both photocapacitance and thermally stimulated capacitance measurements give information about localized electronic states (deep levels) in the band gap of the semiconductor that trap electrons or holes. Optical or thermal excitation of the trapped charge results in a change in the junction capacitance, thus providing a sensitive method to detect relatively low concentrations of deep levels in these structures and also allowing different species of levels to be monitored individually. Photoconductivity or thermally stimulated current measurements, which do not require a p-n junction or Schottky barrier diode, may also provide similar information about trapped charge. However, junction space-charge techniques directly measure trapped charge in the depletion region of the device. These methods thus provide a direct measurement of the traps in a well-defined location in the material or device structure, and, therefore, are often preferable. With the introduction in 1974 of the technique known as DLTS (Lang, 1974a; 1974b), capacitance spectroscopy became a widely used technique to characterize defects in semiconductors. Deep levels having important technological consequences have often been first detected by DLTS and some defects are still referred to by the name originally used to label their DLTS spectra, even though their microscopic origin is now known. Two important examples are EL2, the mid-gap level of the arsenic antisite defect, which is responsible for making LEC-grown GaAs semiinsulating, and the donorrelated deep levels known as DX centers found in n-type AlGaAs and in other compound semiconductors. In this section the fundamental concepts that are the basis for space-charge spectroscopy as well as various capacitance spectroscopy techniques and the instrumentation by which they are implemented will be described.
1. TRANSIENT CAPACITANCE MEASUREMENTS DLTS and other capacitance methods probe the space-charge layer that exists at a Schottky barrier or p-n junction diode in a semiconductor (Miller et al., 1977; Lang, 1979). The space-charge layer for a one-sided abrupt p+-n junction with uniform doping concentration and zero applied bias voltage is illustrated in Fig.2. The width of the space-charge layer varies with the voltage applied to the diode and thus, because free carriers are always swept out of the depletion region by the electric field, it can be thought of as a variable-width insulator. The width of the depletion region
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P’
FIG. 2. Ideal p + - n step junction (or n-type Schottky barrier) at zero bias: (a) space-chargc distribution; (b) electric field distribution; and (c) band bending. (From Lang, 1979.)
of a one-sided abrupt p+-n junction diode is given by
where E is the dielectric constant of the depleted semiconductor, hi is the built-in voltage of the junction, V is the externally applied voltage, q is the charge on the electron, and N is the density of the ionized dopant impurities
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY
101
in the lightly doped side of the junction. Essentially the same result holds for a Schottky barrier diode on an n-type semiconductor. The variation of the electric field in the space-charge layer is shown in Fig.2(b). The maximum electric field at the p+-n junction (or at the surface in the case of a Schottky barrier diode) is given by
and the junction capacitance is given by EA C=W
where A is the area of the junction. The two primary differences between space-charge regions of semiconductors and bulk insulators are that the width of the space-charge layer can be readily varied by varying the voltage applied to the diode and that a large spatially varying electric field exists in the space-charge layer, even at zero applied voltage. The latter means that carriers that are thermally or optically emitted from traps in this region to the conduction or valence band are swept away, typically within 10p12-10p'o s. Thus retrapping effects can be neglected and the analysis of the transients is simplified compared to that in bulk material. However, the large electric field may affect the properties of the defects and this must be considered in interpreting the data. The variable width of the space-charge region is the foundation of nearly all space-charge spectroscopy methods and also allows the measurement of spatially varying trap concentration profiles. Trap levels in the depletion region of a diode may be detected by their effect on the depletion capacitance (Kimerling, 1974; Shiau et al., 1986). It is clear from Eqs. (12) and (14) that a change in the charge density in the depletion region will result in a corresponding change in the depletion layer width and thus the junction capacitance is a direct measure of the total charge. If the concentration of electrons or holes trapped at deep levels is changed by the thermal or optical emission of carriers to the appropriate band, this change can be monitored by measuring the variation in the junction capacitance at constant applied voltage. The trapped charge is measured directly (i.e., it is not inferred from changes in the free charge as in Hall effect or conductivity measurements), and therefore the signals from different traps are essentially independent of each other and the analysis is relatively simple. When the trap concentrations are small and thus the
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change in the capacitance AC is small compared to the total capacitance C, that is, AC << C, the thermal emission capacitance transients are simple exponential decays. For large trap concentrations, the capacitance transients taken at constant voltage are nonexponential and the analysis becomes considerably more complex (Wang and Sah, 1984). Unless otherwise specified, we will assume the case of low trap concentrations in the following discussion. Note that the capacitance measurements are made at high frequency, typically 1 MHz, so that the oscillating voltage applied to the diode is unable to induce changes in the occupancy of the deep levels. The variation of the depletion width of the diode with applied voltage makes possible other unique features of space-charge spectroscopy, namely the ability to separate carrier capture from carrier emission and to allow the capture of only majority carriers or both majority and minority carriers. The former is shown schematically in Fig. 3 for a p+-n junction having a deep
id)
VOLTAGE VS. TIME
FIG. 3. Response of a p+-n junction to a majority-carrier pulse (with band bending omitted for clarity). The trap occupation and depletion width before (a), during (b), and immediately after (c) the filling pulse. The applied voltage (d) and depletion capacitance (e) before, during and after the pulse.
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USING CAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY103
level in the upper half of the band gap. Under a steady-state reverse bias voltage [Fig. 3(a)], the traps in the depletion region are empty. Reducing the applied voltage to zero [Fig. 3(b)], reduces the width of the depletion region and allows electrons to be trapped at the deep levels. Electron capture into an initially empty trap is given by N ( t ) = N,(1
-
epcnf)
(15)
where N , is the trap density and c, is the capture rate. When the voltage is restored to its original steady-state value [Fig. 3(d)], the filled traps lie within the depletion region, as shown in Fig. 3(c). The emission of trapped electrons to the conduction band, where they are immediately swept away by the junction electric field, is observed as a majority carrier capacitance transient [Fig. 3(e)]. The electron emission rate is determined from the time dependence of the capacitance transient. The density of occupied traps at time t is
where en is the thermal emission rate and N , is the trap concentration, assuming that the filling pulse was sufficiently long for all the traps to be occupied. The activation energy for thermal emission is then determined from measurements of the thermal emission rate at different sample temperatures. The trap concentration can be determined from the initial amplitude of the transient. Minority carrier capture occurs when the filling voltage pulse causes the diode to be forward biased. In this case the occupation of the traps in the depletion region after the filling pulse is the net result of the capture of both types of carriers. Note that the sign of the resulting capacitance transient is negative for the emission of majority carriers, as in Fig. 3(e). However, the capacitance transient is positive for minority carriers, because their charge has the opposite sign (Miller et al., 1977), making it easy to know which type of carrier is being emitted. The sensitivity of the junction capacitance to trapped charge depends on the location of the charge in the depletion region. The relative capacitance change (AC/C)x, due to n(x) trapped electrons in the interval Ax at x,where 0 < x < W corresponds to positions in the space charge region of a p f - n junction diode as shown in Fig. 2, is given by (Lang, 1979)
Note that the sensitivity of the junction to trapped charge varies linearly
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from zero at the junction (x = 0) to a maximum at the edge of the depletion region (x = W ) .This means that capacitance measurements are very insensitive to traps located at the junction or at the surface of the semiconductor for the Schottky barrier diode. In order to evaluate the total signal we must integrate the foregoing equation over the region of the space-charge layer where emission takes place. Figure4 shows the band diagram for a p + - n junction having a uniformly doped n region at two different bias conditions, that is, V = 0 and V = 3.5 Vhi.Two different regions of the space-charge region must be considered. The central region closest to the junction, where both the shallow donors and the deep levels lie above the Fermi level, is depleted of
FIG. 4. Band-bending diagram for a p + - n step junction (or n-type Schottky barrier) at zero bias (top) and at a reverse bias of V = 3.5V,,. (From Lang, 1979.)
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY
105
all free carriers. Beyond this is a transition region (sometimes referred to as the edge region), defined by the point where the Fermi level crosses the deep level, in which the deep levels are occupied. There are enough free electrons in this edge region that the electron capture rate is larger than the emission rate. The width of the transition region is given by
The value of 2 depends on the energy difference between the Fermi level E , and the trap level E , . Although there are sufficient carriers in the edge region to affect the trap occupation, there are not enough to affect the band bending and they can be ignored in the calculation of the depletion width (Garrett and Brattain, 1955; Lubberts and Burkey, 1975). The total signal produced by a majority-carrier pulse at zero bias for a time long enough to fill all the traps is obtained by integrating Eq. (17) from W(O)-1 to W(V)-lL, which is the part of the depletion region from which the carriers are emitted. Thus (Lang, 1979),
If the edge region is neglected, Eq. (19) reduces to the usual equation for the trap concentration (Lang, 1974b; Miller et al., 1977) N,. N
-N2-
AC C
However, neglecting the edge region may cause significant underestimation 50%) of the trap concentration, especially at low reverse bias voltages. The variation of the depletion width with applied bias can be used to measure the deep level concentration profile, if the shallow level concentration profile is known. The incremental change in the relative capacitance signal, fi(AC/C), due to the traps filled by the small change in voltage 6V is (Lang, 1974a, 1979) (
N
where x is the width of the space-charge layer during the filling pulse and C, W and N are the values corresponding to the steady-state bias between
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the pulses; N ( x ) is typically measured using C-V profiling methods (Baxandau et a/., 1971; Copeland, 1969; Hilibrand and Gold (1960); Miller, 1972). A linear plot of AC vs V implies that the trap concentration and the shallow level concentration have the same profile. Trap concentration profiles can be measured either by using a constant value of the filling pulse voltage and varying the reverse bias voltage, or by using a constant value of the reverse bias voltage and varying the voltage of the filling pulse (Lang, 1979). In contrast to the latter technique, the former determines the profile at a low, approximately constant value of the electric field, which may be important for some defects. So far, we have considered only the ideal case of low concentrations of deep levels and exponential thermal emission transients. In many samples of interest, however, the concentrations of deep levels may be comparable to those of the shallow levels, which leads to nonexponential thermal emission transients at constant voltage. An exponential transient can be obtained for a single deep level when the trap concentration is relatively high, if the measurement is made by monitoring the voltage transient that occurs when emission takes place at constant capacitance (Calleja et ul., 1990(a); Lang, 1979). In this case, the width of the depletion region is kept constant during the emission process, just as it is essentially constant when the measurements are done at constant voltage in the case of low trap concentrations. Nonexponential thermal emission transients can occur for other reasons as well. The observation of nonexponential thermal emission rates may indicate the presence of different trap species having nearly equal emission rates. Alternatively, small shifts in the emission rates may occur when the defect has near neighbors of different species in a semiconductor alloy (Omling et al., 1983). An example of the latter will be discussed later. In some cases nonexponential transients occur due to carrier capture near the edge of the depletion region (Landsberg and Shaban, 1987). When the thermal emission rate is strongly electric field dependent, nonexponential transients are observed due to the variation of the electric field in the space-charge layer. The Poole-Frenkel effect yields such a dependence as a consequence of the lowering of the energy barrier for thermal emission by the electric field in the depletion region (Hartke, 1968; Johnson, 1986; Yeargen and Taylor, 1968). This effect applies only to donor-like electron traps and acceptor-like hole traps, that is, states that are neutral when occupied and charged when empty. Thus, detecting the Poole-Frenkel effect establishes a n important characteristic of a defect. Examples of defects exhibiting this effect are the oxygen-related thermal donors (Kimerling et al., 1981) and interstitial Cr (Chantre et al., 1983) in Si. A phonon assisted tunneling model has been proposed to explain electric
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 107
field enhanced electron emission from deep states in GaAs (Makram-Ebeid and Lannoo, 1982; Pons and Makram-Ebeid, 1979). Both models have been applied to electron-irradiation-induced traps in GaAs (Auret et al., 1995; Goodman et al., 1994). To complete the characterization of a deep level, the optical ionization cross sections must also be determined. This can be done by measuring either photocapacitance or photoconductivity transients at low temperature, where thermal emission rates are negligible. The analysis of photoconductivity transients is complicated as charge capture is likely to occur simultaneously with optical emission (Grimmeiss, 1977). This source of error is eliminated by using photocapacitance measurements, where the electric field of the junction sweeps away emitted carriers before they can be captured (Okushi and Tokumaru, 1980; Sah et ul., 1970). However, photocapacitance methods are generally less sensitive and, therefore, unfeasible near the threshold energy (Grimmeiss, 1977). Using the initial slope of the photocapacitance transient improves the sensitivity of this method (Mooney et a!., 1988). The basic concepts of space-charge or capacitance spectroscopy as they apply to the study of deep levels have been presented in this section. The following sections include a description of the various DLTS techniques and the instrumentation with which they are implemented. This family of experimental techniques, based on the fundamental concepts reviewed here, has evolved specifically for the study of defect energy levels in a wide variety of semiconductors.
2. DEEPLEVELSPECTROSCOPY The rate window concept for the analysis of capacitance (or current) transients due to the thermal emission of carriers from deep levels was first introduced by Lang (1974a, 1974b). This method, known as deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), involves repetitively pulsing the diode and thus generating a series of transients with a constant repetition rate. The DLTS method applies to any thermally stimulated process that can be repetitively generated by a pulsed excitation. The emission transients are then detected by one of a variety of synchronous detection schemes. Scanning the sample temperature varies the time constant of the thermal emission transient, and the resulting signal is maximized when the thermal emission rate matches the “rate window” of the instrument. A DLTS spectrum results when the output signal is plotted against the sample temperature and each deep level is observed as a peak at the temperature corresponding to its thermal emission activation energy. Varying the rate
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P. M. MOONEY
window of the instrument results in a shift of the temperature of the DLTS peak and allows the emission rate to be measured as a function of temperature. An Arrhenius plot of e,/T2 vs 1/T is then made to determine the thermal activation energy of the deep level. Such a plot is often referred to as the signature of the deep level. Trap signatures are independent of the instrumentation employed and thus are the best way to compare measurements made in different laboratories. The DLTS technique was first implemented using a dual-gated signal averager (double boxcar) to detect the capacitance transient, as shown schematically in Fig. 5 (Lang, 1979). The capacitance transient is measured at two different times t , and t,, and the difference C ( t , ) - C(t,), is plotted as a function of the sample temperature to generate the DLTS spectrum. Assuming that the emission transient varies exponentially with time, the normalized DLTS signal is S ( T ) = [C(t,) - C(t,)]/AC(O)
= exp( - t,/z)[l
-
exp(At/t)]
(22)
where AC(0) is the magnitude of the capacitance transient at t = 0 ,
FIG. 5. Implementation of a DLTS rate window by means of a double-boxcar integrator with gates set at times t , and t2. (From Lang, 1979.)
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATIONUSINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 109
A 0.44eV
---
+t+++
100 150
200
250
300 350 Temperature (K)
400
0.02/0.2 0.0510.5
0.1/1.0 0.212.0 0.515.0
450
FIG. 6 . DLTS hole-emission spectra of two commonly occurring hole traps in LPE n-GaAs. The values oft, and f , corresponding to each scan are indicated. The arrows indicate the values of the peak temperature used in 7. (From Lang, 1979.)
At = t , - t 2 and the temperature dependence of z is given by Eq. (7). The time constant corresponding to the maximum of the DLTS signal is given by setting the derivative of Eq. (22) with respect to z equal to zero; thus
Changing the values of t , and t, changes the rate window, and the temperature of the maximum of the DLTS peak shifts. A series of scans taken with different rate windows (Fig. 6) is needed to determine the signature of the deep level as defined in the preceding paragraph and shown in Fig. 7. The thermal emission activation energy is derived from the slope of such a plot (Lang, 1979). The DLTS peak amplitude can be related to the initial value of the capacitance transient, AC(O), through Eqs. (22) and (23) and thus, provided all the traps are occupied, trap concentrations can be derived using Eq. (19) or (20). Trap-concentration profiles can be measured as well (Lang, 1979; Lebedev and Ecke, 1986; Schary and Lee, 1990; Stievenard and Vuillaume, 1986). Figure 8 shows a series of DLTS scans of a Schottky diode fabricated by e-beam evaporation of Au onto an n-type GaAs film grown by metallor-
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FIG. 7. Thermal emission rate vs lOOO/T for two hole traps in LPE n-GaAs. The data points are peak positions from Fig. 6 . As discussed in the text, p. 108 it has become standard practice to plot e J T 2 rather than the emission rate alone. (From Lang, 1979.)
ganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) (Kleinhenz et ul., 1985). The scans were taken at a constant reverse bias voltage using different filling pulse voltages. Two electron traps E(0.32) and E(0.79) were observed in the GaAs film. The latter is the well-known EL2 trap, typically seen in such material. Another trap, E(0.57), was observed only when the region close to the metal/semiconductor interface was probed. The concentration profiles derived for both E(0.57) and EL2 are shown in Fig. 9. The technique known as double-DLTS (DDLTS) was introduced specifically for measuring trap concentration profiles (Lefevre and Schultz, 1977; Maas et al., 1985). In this method alternating pulses of different voltages V, and Vd are used to fill the traps, as shown in Fig. 10. The difference between the two transients gives information about the traps in the part of the depletion region between W(V,) and W ( V J . This technique also has advantages for studying traps having electric field dependent thermal
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY
111
A
E(0.50)
vp=o.9v
-
Vp=O.SV Vp=0.4V
77
167 230 285
333
376
418 457
TEMPERATURE (K)
FIG. 8. The DLTS spectra for an n-type Schottky diode showing a trap introduced during metal deposition. These spectra were taken by using a constant reverse bias voltage of 1.0 V and varying the trap filling pulse as indicated. The pulse duration was 0. 5 ms and the rate window was 81 Hz. (From Kleinhenz et al., 1985.)
emission rates. Another scheme for measuring such traps is reverse-bias pulsed-DLTS (RDLTS) (Li and Wang, 1985). The DLTS signature of a deep level yields the thermal emission activation energy as already discussed. The other parameter that can be extracted from this plot is the intercept at 1/T = 0, from which the capture cross section goo can be determined. While this parameter is sometimes useful for characterization purposes (and for comparisons of measurements done by different groups), it is often quite different from the value determined by a direct
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h
3
E
0 Y
a Q
E I-
DISTANCE FROM METAL /GaAs INTERFACE (pm) FIG. 9. Trap concentration vs distance from the metal/semiconductor interface determined from the DLTS spectra of Fig. X. The EL2 is the peak labeled E(0.79) and E(0.57) is the trap introduced during metal deposition (see Fig. X). (From Kleinhenz e l cti. (1985).
measurement of the capture cross section. This difference may indicate that the capture cross section is temperature-dependent. The majority and minority carrier capture rates can be measured directly by DLTS (Lang, 1979). The majority carrier capture rate can be determined by using a filling pulse that allows only majority carriers to be trapped and then measuring the initial value of the transient as the duration of the filling pulse is varied. Determining the minority carrier capture rate is more complicated because the rate depends on the concentration of injected minority carriers. The diode must be forward biased during the filling pulse and the injected minority carrier density must be determined from the measured diode current. Significant errors in the analysis of the capture kinetics can occur when the usual depletion approximation, which ignores the tail of the free carrier distribution at the edge of the depletion region, is used. It has been shown that the Debye tail of the free carrier distribution often plays an important role when using DLTS to determine the capture cross sections of deep levels (Meijer and Grimmeiss, 1984; Pons, 1984; Stievenard et a/., 1984). Direct mcasurernents of capture cross sections as a function of
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 113
time
-
t A
7 t2
U
time
Correlated Signal: [C'(t,)
-
- C(t,)] - [C'(t2) - C(t,)] - AC(t2)
AC(t,)
FIG. 10. Diagram showing how alternating bias pulses of two different amplitudes produce a DLTS signal corresponding to an internal region of the space-charge layer. This trap concentration profiling technique is known as DDLTS. (From Lefkvre and Schultz, 1977.)
temperature are important for understanding the mechanisms of nonradiative capture at deep levels (Lang, 1979). They are also important for determining the effects of deep levels on the characteristics of electronic and optoelectronic devices. Other variations of the DLTS technique have been developed for experimental situations that differ from the relatively simple ones already discussed. When the concentrations of deep levels are greater than about 10% of the background doping concentration, the experiments are simplified if constant capacitance DLTS (CC-DLTS) measurements are done (Lang, 1979). A voltage pulse is used to fill the traps; however, at the end of the filling pulse, the sample is held at a constant capacitance using a feedback circuit, which adjusts the reverse bias voltage. As carriers are emitted to the conduction or valence band, the resulting voltage transient is monitored to
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measure the thermal emission rate. For a single deep level, the voltage transient is exponential, whereas the capacitance transient at constant voltage is not, except at very low trap concentrations. CC-DLTS and DDLTS can be combined to measure trap profiles (Johnson et al., 1979). Current-DLTS uses the transient current in the diode to measure the trapped charge (Lang, 1979). An advantage of this method is that the current transient is more sensitive than the capacitance transient for fast thermal emission rates and current-DLTS may, therefore, be preferred in the case of low trap concentrations. A disadvantage of this method, however, is that the sign of the current transient is the same for both minority and majority carrier emission. The measurement of capture cross sections, although more complicated than with capacitance measurements, can also be done using current-DLTS (Borsuk and Swanson, 1981). Charge transient spectroscopy (CTS) overcomes some of the difficulties of current-DLTS by integrating the current transient (Farmer, et a/., 1982). Caution must be used when studying deep traps in high-resistivity samples. A large series resistance can interfere with the measurement of the capacitance transient, causing changes in the magnitude, and in extreme cases also the sign, of the DLTS peak (Astrova et at., 1995; Broniatowski et al., 1983). For this reason, current-DLTS in conjunction with optical excitation is often used to study high-resistivity samples (Hurtes et at., 1978; Ikeda et a/., 1985). As there are few carriers in the bands in such material, a pulse of light is used instead of a voltage pulse to provide carriers to be trapped at the deep levels. The use of an optical pulse instead of a voltage pulse is often referred to as optical-DLTS (ODLTS). In compensated semiconductors, high concentrations of near mid-gap states tend to cause carrier freeze-out at a relatively high temperature, thus making it impossible to observe any shallower states that are present. Continuous exposure to subband-gap illumination of the appropriate wavelength can change the occupation of the deepest levels and allow the thermal emission from states closer to the band edges to be observed (Mooney, 1983). Using this technique, the photoionization cross sections of the deeper levels can be measured by monitoring charge capture at shallower levels. Traditionally, photoionization cross sections have been determined by measuring the current or capacitance transients caused by exposure to monochromatic light at low temperature (Grimmeiss, 1977). However, deep level optical spectroscopy (DLOS), the optical analog to DLTS, was developed in order to utilize the advantages of a very sensitive spectroscopic method for the determination of photoionization cross sections of deep levels (Chantre et a/., 1981). In this technique, changes in the diode capacitance indicate changes in the trap occupation due to exposure to monochromatic light.
2
DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USING CAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 1 15
Although DLTS measurements have spatial resolution due to the variation of the depletion width with applied voltage, it is usually assumed that the trap distribution is homogeneous laterally. Scanning-DLTS (SDLTS) was developed in order to achieve lateral spatial resolution. SDLTS is like electron beam induced current (EBIC) or cathodoluminescence in that the lateral spatial resolution is achieved by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as the source of electrons to excite the desired electronic behavior. In the case of SDLTS, electrons trapped at deep levels are detected by their thermal emission transients. The lateral resolution of the electron beam is the order of a micron. The diode typically has a lateral dimension on the order of 0.1 mm, however, and clearly most of this area is unaffected by each pulse of electrons. To increase the sensitivity of the junction, current DLTS was initially used instead of capacitance DLTS (Petroff and Lang, 1977). Others have implemented SDLTS using a high-sensitivity capacitance bridge in order to retain the advantages of capacitance measurements (Heydenreich and Breitenstein, 1986). Due to the high spatial resolution, this method may be useful for probing semiconductor devices having small dimensions. Another version of DLTS that is device compatible is performed using either the gate capacitance or the source-drain conductance of a field effect transistor (FET). Conductance transients are especially useful for very small area devices, where the gate capacitance is too small to be detected by the typical capacitance meter or bridge used for DLTS measurements (Hawkins and Peaker, 1986). The different versions of DLTS have been applied to a wide variety of semiconductors to study the capture and emission kinetics of holes and electrons at deep levels. A detailed discussion of the standard DLTS method has been presented and some modifications of the standard method have also been described in this section. These modifications of the standard DLTS method significantly extend the range of materials and device structures that can be studied with DLTS. In the following section the instrumentation used to implement these techniques is discussed.
3. INSTRUMENTATION Early DLTS spectrometers were constructed entirely from analog instruments connected together. The spectrometer consists of three main components: a pulse generator to apply the desired reverse bias voltages and trap filling pulses to the diode and to provide timing pulses to the other instruments; a fast capacitance meter or bridge (Lang, 1974a, 1974b) to detect the capacitance transient; and an instrument to analyze the transient
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P. M. MOONEY
and generate the DLTS spectrum. As mentioned earlier, the instrument first used to produce the DLTS spectrum from the capacitance transients was a double boxcar averager, which samples the transient at two fixed times [see Fig. ll(a)]. Other instruments often used for this application were a lock-in amplifier, an exponential correlator (Lang, 1979; Miller et a/., 1977), or a two-phase lock-in amplifier (Auret, 1986; Pons et ul., 1980), as shown in Fig. 1 l(b), (c), and (d), respectively. In all of these schemes the DLTS signal is a maximum when the time constant of the transient matches the rate window of the instrument, and the rate window is varied to determine the thermal activation energy of the trap level. The diode is placed in a cryostat where its temperature can either be held constant at the desired temperature or scanned slowly over the required temperature range. The sample tem-
(a) Boxcar
pG
(b) Lock-In Amplifier
(d) Two phase Lock-In
0
time
-
T
FIG. 11. Diagram showing a capacitance transient and four different rate-window operations: (a) double-boxcar integrator, (b) lock-in amplifier, (c) exponential correlator and (d) two-phase lock-in amplifier. (From Lang, 1979.)
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 117
perature and the DLTS signal are then recorded using an x-y plotter. A schematic diagram of a DLTS system using a two-phase lock-amplifier to detect the capacitance transient is shown in Fig. 12. With only minor changes, this DLTS system can be used for other versions of DLTS. Current-DLTS can be done by replacing the capacitance meter with a current amplifier (Borsuk and Swanson, 1980). Constant capacitance-DLTS requires a fast feedback circuit to vary the voltage and maintain a constant capacitance (DeJule et al., 1985; Shiau et al., 1987). Using the DLTS systems already described here, as many as five to 10 temperature scans are required to collect the data to determine the trap signature, making this method slow and tedious. To reduce the number of scans needed and thus speed up the data collection, multiple boxcars and correlators have been used in parallel, while still employing the standard method of data analysis. Other methods of analyzing the capacitance transients so that all the data can be collected from a single scan have also been implemented (Auret and Nel, 1988; Hasegawa, 1985; Su and Farmer, 1990). For all DLTS methods, accurate meusurement qf the diode temperature is critical! This is accomplished by scanning the temperature slowly enough to ensure that the diode is in thermal equilibrium with the temperature sensor, which is usually a thermocouple or silicon diode. To ensure accurate temperature measurement, several isothermal DLTS methods have been proposed. Scanning the lock-in amplifier frequency instead of the sample temperature was proposed as a way to speed up data collection (Ferenczi
Jwl-
-
niL
I
-
'
I I
Cfi 7:
FIG.12. Schematic diagram of an analog DLTS system
118
P. M. MOONEY
et al., 1986). Because the diode is in thermal equilibrium with the cryostat at constant temperature, a frequency scan takes much less time than a temperature scan. Successively changing the sampling times after each filling pulse has also been suggested as a method of recording the entire transient at constant temperature (Turchanikov et ul., 1986). Desk-top computers have been employed to facilitate data collection and analysis. In the simplest application, the computer merely replaces the x-y plotter. The analog outputs (DLTS signal and temperature) are sent to the computer by means of digital voltmeters. This makes plotting the DLTS spectra much easier; however, the data are still analyzed in essentially the same way under the assumption that the transients are exponential. More ambitious applications of the computer include fully automating the experiment (Holzlein et al., 1986; Kirchner et ul., 1981; Maguire and Marshall, 1986; Okushi and Tokumaru, 1988). The entire transient is recorded at each temperature, thus making it possible to use more sophisticated methods for data analysis. In this case it need not be assumed that the thermal emission transients are single exponentials. Various different methods have been used to analyze thermal emission transients. Both fast Fourier transforms and the method of moments were used to analyze simulated and experimental DLTS data and were compared with the standard boxcar analysis (Kirchner et al., 1981). Both methods were found to give conclusive and accurate analysis in the case of single exponential transients; however, the method of moments gave better results for multiexponential transients. This work was later extended by combining the mean displaced ratio algorithm for noise reduction, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) to determine the base-line offset and remove it from the data, and the method of moments to extract the parameters for the various exponential components (Ikossi-Anastasiou and Roenker, 1987). For this analysis only a single temperature scan is required and contributions from traps having closely spaced energy levels can be resolved. Inverse Laplace transforms have also been applied to the analysis of DLTS and the optimum energy resolution was investigated and compared with standard rate window methods (Nolte and Haller, 1987). Standard rate window methods have a lower energy resolution, which is independent of the energy level. The resolution does depend on the capture cross section and the baseline restore time, however, both of which can vary by orders of magnitude. The inverse Laplace transform analysis can give substantial improvement in energy resolution. Although it is unstable with respect to noise, simple data integration and smoothing are sufficient to make this method useful. It has been demonstrated that the high resolution makes it possible to separate closely spaced levels (Dobaczewski et ul., 1994). Other multiexponential analysis methods have also been applied to improve the
2 DEFECTIDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 119
accuracy of DLTS methods (Miyakawa, 1986; Morimoto et ul., 1986a, 1986b, 1987). DLTS systems have been available commercially for a number of years. Systems currently on the market include an analog instrument employing a correlator to analyze either a capacitance, current or voltage transient, and a digital instrument based on FFT analysis of the transients. Analog DLTS systems provide an excellent way to screen a wide variety of samples. More detailed measurements and/or analysis of the transients are usually required for defect identification, however. Some examples will be given in the following section.
IV. Defect Identification Having discussed the important features of space-charge spectroscopy, we now show how these methods have been used for defect identification. These techniques have been used to study defect levels in both crystalline semiconductors and amorphous semiconductors, and also at the Si/SiO, interface in metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) structures (Johnson, 1986). The latter problems are beyond the scope of this chapter, which focuses on the identification of point defects and point defect complexes in crystalline semiconductors. In the context of this volume, defect identification means determining what atoms make up a defect and their locations in the crystal. Although space-charge techniques allow the measurement of key parameters of defect states such as capture cross sections, energy positions, and trap concentrations, they usually give no direct information about the chemical constituents or atomic arrangements giving rise to these deep levels. Preparing samples with known chemical impurities provides one way to learn about the constituents of deep level defects, for example, intentional doping with different impurities during crystal growth or by diffusion or ion implantation. The introduction of controlled concentrations of deep levels by irradiation with high-energy electrons or other energetic particles has also played an important role in defect studies. Heat treatment under various ambient conditions has been used to determine the thermal stability of defects. The application of external perturbations such as uniaxial stress or hydrostatic pressure to modify the sample properties or the defect properties during the measurement has also been done. Correlations with other types of defect spectroscopies such as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), from which the atomic arrangement and charge state of a defect can often be inferred (see the chapter by Watkins in Volume 51A of this series),
120
P. M. MOONEY
enabled the DLTS signatures of many defects to be identified and catalogued (Madelung and Schultz, 1989). A recent development is the use of radioactive nuclei in conjunction with DLTS, which allows the chemical constituents of a defect to be identified via their nuclear decay. Of course DLTS is also a very useful tool for identifying unintentional contaminants or process-induced defects in semiconductors from their known DLTS spectra and properties (Benton and Kimerling, 1982; Benton, 1989). The following sections include examples that show how DLTS has been used to identify point defects in silicon and in III-V compound semiconductors. Studies of defect complexes in silicon, which demonstrate the use of standard DLTS measurements to study defect reactions and metastable defect complex, are reviewed in Section IV.l. The variety of measurements required to characterize and identify the microscopic configuration of DX centers in AlGaAs are described in Section IV.2. Examples of the use of external perturbations such as uniaxial stress and hydrostatic pressure along with measurements of capacitance transients are also included. These examples have been chosen to demonstrate the unique strengths of junction space-charge spectroscopy.
1. POINT DEFECT COMPLEXES IN Si Irradiation with high-energy electrons or other energetic particles has frequently been used to introduce controlled densities of defects into semiconductors (Kimerling, 1976; Miller rt al., 1977; Mooney et al., 1977). Annealing the samples allows the thermal stability of the defects and the evolution of defect complexes to be determined. The introduction rate and annealing temperature of the defects are important parameters for making correlations between measurements made using various dinerent spectroscopies. The most common defects observed in Si after electron irradiation at room temperature are point defect complexes composed of vacancies and impurities such as the shallow dopants intentionally incorporated into the semiconductor during crystal growth and also carbon and oxygen, which may be present in relatively high concentrations depending on the crystal growth method. The divacancy (V-V) and the A-center or oxygen-vacancy pair ( 0 - V ) are two examples of DLTS spectra that were tentatively correlated with EPR spectra by their defect introduction rate and annealing behavior (Kimerling, 1976). External perturbations have been applied to samples to obtain additional information about deep levels and thus confirm these tentative identifications. One example is the use of uniaxial stress to lift the orientational degeneracy of a low symmetry defect and to cause it to be preferentially
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 121
aligned along particular crystallographic directions. From the orientation dependence of the stress-induced alignment, the symmetry of the defect can often be inferred. Uniaxial stress had been used earlier in conjunction with EPR measurements to identify a number of defects in silicon and determine their properties, including, for example, the divacancy and the oxygenvacancy pair (Watkins and Corbett, 1961; 1976). Uniaxial stress was first used in conjunction with capacitance spectroscopy to confirm the identification of the DLTS peak H (0.21 eV), a hole trap with thermal emission activation energy of 0.21 eV, as the divacancy (Kimerling and Chen, 1977; Stavola and Kimerling, 1983). In this experiment electron-irradiated Bdoped samples were stressed at 160°C for 20 min and were then cooled to room temperature while the stress was maintained. After removing the stress, Schottky barrier diodes were fabricated at room temperature, The measurement system for the polarized excitation photocapacitance (PEP) experiment consisted of a standard DLTS system, a helium-neon laser to provide a few milliwatts of power at 3.39 pm, and polarizing optics (Stavola and Kimerling, 1983). At temperatures lower than that of the H (0.21 eV) DLTS peak, optical emission from the traps is observed (Fig. 13). The ratio of the optical cross sections is determined from the ratio of the PEP signals with the light polarized parallel and perpendicular to the stress axis. These ratios agree well with those reported for the 0/+ transition of the divacancy from IR absorption measurements (Cheng et al., 1966; Chen and Correlli, 1972). The recovery kinetics of the stress induced alignment also agreed well with those measured by IR absorption and by EPR (Watkins and Corbett, 1965). Thus these P E P experiments verified that the H (0.21 eV) DLTS peak is due to the thermal emission of a hole from the divacancy. In another experiment, uniaxial stress was applied during the DLTS measurement (Meese et al., 1983). It had been suggested (Kimerling, 1976) that the trap level at E , - 0.17 eV correlates with the EPR spectrum Si-B1, identified as the 0 - V pair (A center) (Watkins and Corbett, 1961). Neutronirradiated P-doped samples were cut so that stress could be applied along the [OOl], [ l l O ] or [ill] directions and gold dots were evaporated to form Schottky barrier diodes on one of the faces perpendicular to the stress. Uniaxial stresses of up to 1.1 G P a were applied with a compound lever apparatus attached to a closed cycle refrigerator (Lamp et al., 1984). Figure 14 shows DLTS spectra without applied stress and with stress applied in three different directions. The DLTS peak splits into two peaks with separation proportional to the magnitude of the applied stress. The intensity ratios of the two peaks are 4:2, 3:3, and 1 5 for the [OOl], [ I l l ] and [I lo] directions, respectively, These ratios can be completely understood in terms of the Watkins and Corbett model for the 0 - V pair (Watkins and Corbett, 1961). The reorientation kinetics also agree well with those
122
P. M . MOONEY
I
75
1
I
I
100 125 150 Temperature (K)
FIG. 13. The DLTS and PEP spectra for the electron irradiation induced hole trap H(0.21) in Si. This DLTS peak was previously assigned to the divacancy. The sample has a [110] stress axis and is viewed along the [OOl] direction. (Reprinted from Stavola and Kimerling (1983) with permission from the authors.)
measured by EPR, as shown in Fig. 15. Note that the stress alignment of the 0 - V pair anneals below room temperature; therefore, to study this defect, the stress must be applied during the measurement. The DLTS signatures of trace impurities in Si, such as Fe, Ni, Pt, Mn, Cu, Au, and Ag, have been identified by intentionally introducing them into Si (Benton and Kimerling, 1982; Benton, 1990). Although these metals form electrically inactive precipitates when silicon is cooled slowly, EPR studies showed that V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni occupy a tetrahedral interstitial site after diffusion at 1250 "C and rapid quenching (Ludwig and Woodbury, 1962). The electron trap E (0.45 eV) was correlated with the EPR spectrum of Fe,
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 123
A
6t
't
80 90 100 1L 10 Temperature (K)
i70
60
i'. ,
't
1
,-,
I
\ _ '
'
~
60 70 80 90 100 110 Temperature
(K)
FIG. 14. The DLTS spectra of the EC-0.17eVlevel in neutron-irradiated Si under uniaxial stress. For all spectra, t , = 4 ms and t J f 1 = 2. Strcsses for these samples were (a) zero stress; (b) 0.48 G P a along [OOl]; (c) 1.05 G P a along [ill]; and (d) 0.62GPa along [llO]. In (b) the two different spectra were taken using filling pulses of different duration as indicated. (From Meese ri a/., 1983.)
(Gerson et ul., 1977; Graff and Peiper, 1981) and the DLTS peak H (O.lOeV), shown in Fig. 16(a), was attributed to Fe,-B, pairs (Feichtinger, 1979; Graff and Peiper, 1981). A systematic study has identified ion pair states for Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cu with various acceptors (Kimerling et al., 1981). These data now serve as reference spectra for device process monitoring. DLTS has also been used to study point defect reactions and metastable defect complexes. An example is the pairing of the positively charged iron interstitial, Fe,, with the negatively charged substitutional boron, B,, in Si (Kimerling and Benton, 1983). The reaction is (Fe,)'
+ (Bs)-e(Fe,B,)O
(24)
At a given temperature the fraction of Fe,, which is paired as (FeiB,), is
f
=
5 x 10p24[Bs] exp(E,/kT)
(25)
124 lo5
~
lo4 -
lo3 1
0 v)
v
P
lo2
10
~
-
11
I
I
'
I
7
'
'
I
I
' 9
8 1OOOlT
FIG. 15. The rate of A-center reorientation vs temperature. Data are for [001]-stressoriented defects. Solid circles are from DLTS measurements and opcn circles are from EPR measurements. (From Meese et al., 1983.)
SI:AI 1 ~ 1 0 Allcrn3 '~ Cooling Bias On Cooling Bias Off
_--
1
H (0.10)
+,MH(O.ZO I I '
hY L
,. I .-A I
-.
Si:Ga 7 5x1015 Galcrn3 Cooling Bias On Cooling Bias Off
___
3
80
Hi0 12) Sl E+ln 14x10" B i d 6 2XlQ" Inlcm3
-
40 80 Temperature (K)
120
Cooling Bias
On
120
FIG. 16. The DLTS spectra of iron-acceptor pairs in Si: (a) Fe-B, (b) Fe-AI, (c) Fe-Cia and (d) Fe-In. The latter three pairs are metastable and show a configurational change with charge state. (From Renton and Kimerling, 1982.)
2 DEFECT ~DENTIFICATIONUSINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY
125
The association reaction is driven by the Coulomb attraction between the oppositely charged constituents. If one constituent becomes neutral, the reaction will stop. In p-type material, the Fermi level can be placed above the Fe, level at E,. + 0.39 eV by reverse biasing the diode. Thus this level will trap an electron, making the Fe, neutral in the depletion region. Figure 17 shows the amplitude of the DLTS signal of the Fe,, measured with a sufficiently long filling pulse that the peak amplitude is proportional to the trap concentration, as a function of annealing time under two different bias conditions. The signal decreases when the diode is shorted, indicating that the pairing reaction occurs, but it does not occur when the diode is reverse biased. Figure 18 shows the positions of the Fermi level where the pairing reaction takes place, that is, those for which both the charge state of the Fe, is positive and B, is negative. Detailed studies of the pair formation kinetics yield a migration energy for the isolated Fe, of Em = 0.85 eV. The Fe-B pair is stable when the position of the Fermi level is such that the pair is neutral, as is also shown in Fig. 18. Measurement of the paired fraction as a function of temperature gives an activation energy for dissociation of 0.65 eV (Kimerling and Benton, 1983). Thermal equilibrium is perturbed by irradiation with white light or by minority carrier injection, which both enhances the dissociation and retards the association of the pair. The injection enhanced dissociation rate is proportional to the injected current density. At J , = 1 A/cm2, the activation energy for dissociation was
I
50
1
I
1
100 150 200 Annealing Time (min)
1 250
FIG. 17. Influence of the charge state of Fe, on the pair association rate. Under reverse bias the charge state is (Fe;) within the depletion region. At zero bias, the Fermi level is positioned below H (0.46) and the charge state is (Fe,+). (From Kimerling and Benton, 1983.)
126
P. M.MOONEY
FIG. 18. Stability diagram for (Fe,B,) pairs. The shaded areas denote the Fermi level positions for which the association reaction will occur (left-hand side) and the nearest neighbor pairs are bound (right-hand side). (From Kimerling and Benton, 1983.)
found to be 0.09eV. The pre-exponential factor was reduced as well. Both a reduced activation energy and pre-exponential factor are characteristic of recombination enhancement where electronic energy is converted into local vibronic energy. These well-understood reactions of Fe and B can be used to unambiguously identify Fei as an unintentional contaminant in B-doped Si (Benton, 1990). These experiments, and several of the examples that follow, demonstrate a unique strength of junction space charge techniques, the ability to easily control the charge states of defects in the depletion region. This capability is particularly important for the studies of metastable defects to be described here. Numerous metastable or bistable defect complexes in a variety of materials including Si have also been studied using DLTS (Benton, 1989). Metastable defects can exist in different atomic configurations. Some examples in Si are the iron-acceptor pairs, for which DLTS spectra are shown in Fig. 16. Note that two different DLTS spectra are observed for Al-, Ga- and In-doped Si samples depending on the bias applied to the sample while it is cooled to low temperature prior to measurement. The applied bias determines the occupation of the trap, that is, its charge state. The two different DLTS peaks are associated with two different configurations of the iron-acceptor pairs. The choice of configuration is determined by the charge
2 DEFECTIDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 127
state the defect was in as the sample was cooled. (Chantre and Kimerling, 1986). The temperatures at which each of the configurations of the Fe-A1 pair converts to the other one were determined from isochronal annealing measurements (Fig. 19) and the activation barriers (Fig. 20) were determined from isothermal annealing measurements at different temperatures (Chantre and Bois, 1985). Configuration coordinate (C-C) diagrams for each charge state, shown in Fig.21, can be constructed from these data. The DLTS emission activation energies et al., are indicated as are the barriers for the change in configuration. From EPR measurements (Van Kooten et al., 1984), it is known that the two configurations are oriented along the (111) and the (100) directions, and atomic models for these configurations are shown in Fig.22. Similar C-C diagrams have also been constructed for Fe-Ga and Fe-In pairs. Both the Fe-AI and Fe-Ga pairs can be explained by a simple ionic model; however, the Fe-In pair cannot (Chantre and Kimerling, 1986). There are other examples of metastable defects in Si (Benton, 1989; Watkins, 1991). A particularly well-studied set of metastable centers are the interstitial carbon-substitutional carbon pairs, that is, Ci-C,q,and also the
HI
' H2
Temperature (K) FIG. 19. Isochronal anealing data for the transformation a + b and b --t a. For each point, the sample was cooled from 250 K with the appropriate bias condition, annealed for 5 min under the opposite bias condition, and DLTS peaks H,and H, [labeled MH (0.20) and MH (0.13), respectively, on Fig. 16(b)] were monitored. (From Chantre and Bois, 1985.)
128
P. M. MOONEY I
I , , - R = l ~ l 0 ’ ~exp[-0.5 eV/kT]s
h ? = 5 x 1 0 i 2 exp(-0.65 eVlkT]:
Io
-~
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
1OOOlT (K-’)
FIG. 20. Reaction kinetics for the a 4 b and b + a defect transformations. The rate at each temperature was determined from isothermal annealing data. (From Chantre and Bois, 1985.)
Td
Td
Defect Configuration FIG. 21. Configuration coordinate (C-C) diagram for the Fe-AI pair in Si. The two curves correspond to the two different charge states and the two minima correspond to the two different configurations having the symmetry indicated. All the energies quoted are deduced from the DLTS experiments. (From Chantre and Bois, 1985.)
2 DEFECT ~DENTIFICATIONUSINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY
129
FIG. 22. Atomic models of the two different configurations of the Fe-AI pair in Si: (a) ( 1 11) symmetry and (b) (100) symmetry. (From Van Kooten et al., 1984.)
Ci-donor pairs (Asom et al., 1987; Benton et al., 1988; Song et al., 1990; Zhan and Watkins, 1993). The configurational changes and transformation barriers for these defects have been explored by DLTS. Information about the chemical identification of these centers was deduced from defect reactions with the previously identified C idefect, which was also monitored by DLTS. The DLTS data have been correlated with the results of a variety of other spectroscopic methods, including EPR and photoluminescence, to provide a complete picture of the structures and configurational transformations of these C,-related defects. Radioactive isotopes have recently been used to identify unambiguously the impurity atoms that give rise to several deep levels observed by DLTS, providing a powerful new method for defect identification. When an unstable isotope decays with its characteristic half-life, its corresponding DLTS signal decays as well, and a DLTS peak associated with its decay product appears in favorable cases (Achtziger et al., 1995; Achtziger and Witthuhn, 1995; Lang et al., 1991; Petersen and Neilsen, 1990). For example, in a recent study the identity of several Se-related levels was confirmed and a new Se-related defect was identified (Achtziger and Witthuhn, 1995). Unstable 75Se was introduced into P-doped Si by ion implantation. The 7sSe decays to 75As with a half-life of 120 days. Se is a well-known double donor in Si (Grimmeiss et al., 1980; Pensi et ul., 1986) and other observed deep states had been assigned to Se, pairs. As is a shallow donor in Si and is not detectable with DLTS methods. The DLTS measurements were performed on these samples during a period of about a year, and four Se-related peaks were observed as shown in Fig. 23. Peaks 1 and 2 decayed with a half-life close to 120 days as expected. These states are the two donor states S e + / + and Seal+, which have energy levels at E, -0.51 and E, - 0.28 eV, respectively. Peak 3 had a decay time of about 60 days as expected for a defect involving two Se atoms (Fig.24). This state lies at +
130
P. M. MOONEY
2.0 ..........
1.5
1.o 0.5
40
60
80
100 120 150 200 Temperature (K)
250
0.0 300
FIG. 23. The DLTS spectra of 75Se-implanted n-type Si, measured at the delay times after implantation indicated. The time window is I00 ms, the reverse bias is 6 V. Thc low temperature part of the spectra is strongly enlarged. (From Achtziger and Witthuhn, 1995.)
E, - 0.21 eV in agreement with that of the 0/+ transition of the Se, pair. The amplitude of peak 4 increased initially and then decreased (Fig. 24) and was, therefore, assigned to the 0/+ transition of the intermediate decay state of the 75Se2+’5Se-75A~+ 75As, pair, which has an energy level at E, - 0.16eV. The time dependence of the intensity of the DLTS peak suggests that the two Se atoms occupy equivalent lattice sites, that is, neighboring substitutional sites, consistent with infrared absorption studies of Se,. This was the first observation of Se-As pairs in Si. In this section we have shown how DLTS spectra have been assigned to point defects and point defect complexes in silicon, which had been previously identified using other experimental methods. Parameters such as the defect introduction rate and annealing temperature were useful and in some cases defect symmetry, determined using uniaxial stress, was compared as well. Examples of how standard DLTS measurements have been used to study defect reactions and bistable defect complexes were also discussed. The kinetics of defect pair formation or change in configuration were monitored using the DLTS signal intensity, allowing the activation barriers to be determined. Such experiments provide important information about defect stability and in some cases impurity diffusion as well. Intentional doping with a variety of impurities, including radioactive species, clearly played an important role in the identification of defect complexes.
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 131 I
I
I
I
7 5 ~ ine n-Si 0 level 3 0 level 4
0
0
100
200 300 Delay Time (d)
400
FIG. 24. Concentration of peaks 3 and 4 from Fig.23 vs the delay time. The solid line through the data for level 3 is an exponential fit giving a half-life of 64 days. The solid curve along the data of level 4 is a calculation assuming a half-life for the intermediate state of 120 days and the concentration of level 3 (extrapolated to zero delay) as inputs. The dashed curve additionally assumes that 5% of the total implanted Se consists of stable isotopes. (From Achtziger and Witthuhn, 1995.)
2. DX CENTERS IN 111-V COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTORS Although two of the most studied deep level defects in 111-V semiconductors, those known as EL2 and DX centers, were first observed by DLTS measurements, their atomic configurations were identified only after a great deal of experimental work using a variety of experimental techniques and insightful theoretical calculations had been done. In this section some of the key experiments on DX centers using various space-charge spectroscopic techniques are presented in order to demonstrate some of the many different kinds of measurements that have been done with space-charge methods. Experiments performed on Si-doped Al,Ga, -,As will be used as illustrations. Similar experiments done on Al,Ga, -,As doped with other n-type dopant species and on other n-type 111-V alloys such as GaAs,_,P, were important in demonstrating the universality of DX-like behavior in 111-V semiconductor alloys as well as the chemical trends for different dopant species (Craven and Finn, 1979; Lang et ul., Mooney, 1990).
132
P. M. MOONEY
Si-doped AI,Ga, -,As having x 2 0.22, unlike compositions having lower x values, exhibits the unusual behavior shown in Fig. 25. The concentration of electrons in the conduction band, determined from Hall effect measurements, is strongly temperature dependent when the sample is kept in the dark. Furthermore, after exposure to light at low temperature, electrons remain in the conduction band after the light is turned off, until the sample is heated above a characteristic temperature. This phenomenon, known as persistent photoconductivity (PPC), is observed in n-type AlGaAs and other 111-V alloys. The strong decrease of the electron density as the temperature is decreased indicates the presence of a deep level. Unlike shallow donor levels, which remain thermally ionized in this temperature range, this deep level is only partially ionized, even at room temperature (Mooney, 1990). The observation of PPC at low temperature indicates an energy barrier to electron capture at the deep level, and thus capture cannot occur unless sufficient thermal energy is available. Thermally activated capture indicates that a relaxation of the crystal lattice accompanies the change in charge state of the defect (Lang et ul., 1979). DLTS measurements in a wide variety of samples, both Schottky barrier diodes and modulation-doped field effect transistors (MODFETs) having higher Si doping concentrations, show the presence of a deep level. Because the trap concentrations are comparable to the Si doping concentrations in the samples, constant capacitance DLTS measurements were used to study this electron trap (Mooney et a/., 1987). The thermal emission energy is
1o9
0
100 200 Temperature (K)
300
FIG 25. Variation of the electron density measured by the Hall effect as a function of temperature. The sample was cooled in thc dark, exposed to light for a short time at low Lemperature, and then warmed in the dark.
2 DEFECTIDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 133
independent of the alloy composition x, as shown in Fig.26. Neither the deep levels nor PPC are observed in GaAs or Al,Ga, -,As having very low values of x. To determine whether significant lattice relaxation occurs with the change in charge state of DX centers, the photon energy dependence of the optical ionization cross section was measured in samples having different x values (Lang et al., 1979; Legros et a/., 1987; Mooney et al., 1988; Northrop and Mooney, 1991). Optical ionization transients taken at constant capacitance were found to be exponential. The photoionization cross section is determined from the equation o:(hv) = ($T)-', where z is the time constant of the transient and $ is the photon flux. To increase the sensitivity of the measurement, only the initial part of the transient was used (Mooney et al., 1988). At very short times an exponential transient of the form V(t)= bV(1 is linear in time. The initial slope varies linearly with the photon flux at a given photon energy. The photoionization cross section as a function of the photon energy for several samples having different x values is plotted in Fig.27. Note that values of the photoionization cross section were measured over 6 to 8 orders of magnitude, depending on the sample. The threshold energy for photoionization is essentially independent of the alloy composition. No measurable signal was observed at energies lower than 0.8 eV. This value for the threshold energy is much larger than the thermal binding energy of the deep donor determined from Hall effect measurements, which has a maximum value of 160 MeV at x = 0.4. Consequently, a significant rearrangement of the atomic configuration near the defect must accompany the capture of electrons at these defects. Detailed
0.6 -
>
0.4 -
v
w W
-
0.2
0
MODFETs
0
Diodes
~
0
1 0
"
" ' 0.2
/
0.4
06
I
0.8
,
1 .o
AlAs Mole Fraction, x
FIG. 26. Thermal emission activation energy of the DX centers in Si-doped AI,Ga, _,As. Diodes have 6 x LOL6Si/cm3 and MODFETs have 1 x Si/cm3. (From Mooney, 1990.)
134
P. M. MWNEY
T=80K
o
x
b
3 xu
Ip
8 8 8
FIG. 27. Plot of the photoionization cross sections for Si-doped AI,Ga, _,As samples having four different alloy compositions as a function of the photon energy. The vertical axis is logarithmic, covering 9 orders of magnitude, and the curves were normalized at 1.3eV. (From Northrup and Mooney, 1991.)
analysis of these experimental results shows that a 6 MeV phonon mode is involved in the relaxation process (Mooney et al., 1988). To account for the change in atomic configuration, it was suggested that this deep level originates from a defect complex consisting of a donor atom (D) and an unknown defect (X), hence the name DX centers (Lang et al., 1979). A configuration-coordinate diagram constructed for the DX centers using the energies of the DX centers determined from these different experiments is shown in Fig. 28. The parabola on the left-hand side represents the total energy when the electron is in the conduction band and that on the right-hand side represents the total energy of the occupied DX level. The shift along the x-axis represents the change in configuration when the charge states are changed; Ed is the donor binding energy determined from Hall
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 135
b a z W
W
v)
3 J
n
I
I
00 ODX CONFIGURATION COORDINATE
-
FIG.28. Configuration coordinate diagram for DX centers in Si-doped AI,Ga, -,As with assuming a single electron is trapped. The parabolas represent the total energy when the electron is in the conduction band (Qo) or trapped at the DX level (Q,,). The shift in Q represents the change in atomic configuration (lattice relaxation) near the Si atom. Ed represents the binding energy of the electron at the DX level, E , and E, represent the activation energies for thermal emission and capture, respectively, and E, represents the optical ionization threshold energy. x = 0.3,
effect measurements and E , and E , are the thermal and optical emission energies determined from the experiments already described here; E, indicates the thermal activation barrier for electron capture. Detailed studies of the electron capture kinetics have also been performed. A filling pulse was applied to the gate of the MODFET and the voltage needed to achieve a constant capacitance, that is, constant depletion depth, was measured after each filling pulse (Mooney et al., 1987). The shift in voltage is due to charge capture at the DX levels. The time dependence of the voltage at different temperatures for two samples having different x values is shown in Fig. 29. The capture rate is clearly strongly temperaturedependent in both samples. The average capture activation energy was determined from the time needed to fill 50% of the traps at each temperature. Unlike the thermal emission activation energy, the average capture barrier varies strongly with the alloy composition, as shown in Fig. 30(a).
136
P. M. MOONEY 3
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The shape of the curves in Fig. 29 indicates that capture does not occur by a single exponential process (Mooney et al., 1987). In fact both a fast capture process corresponding to capture in the neutral semiconductor and a slower capture process corresponding to capture at the edge of the depletion region are observed. A detailed analysis of the capture data in samples having different doping concentrations, based on the earlier model of Lang rt a/., suggests that capture occurs via a state, that is, above the
USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 137
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bottom of the conduction band. In this model, the capture barrier is essentially the energy difference between the Fermi level, which in heavily doped samples changes significantly as electrons are transferred from the conduction band to the DX levels, and the intermediate state. Hot electron capture in MODFETs, which was also found to be thermally activated, can be understood in terms of capture via a transition state that is well above
138
P. M. MOONEY
the bottom of the conduction band, and it was argued that a two-step capture process is consistent with the trapping of two electrons at DX levels (Theis and Mooney, 1990). Other very important information about the DX levels was obtained from experiments in which hydrostatic pressure was applied to GaAs and AlGaAs samples. The application of hydrostatic pressure modifies the conduction band states in a manner similar to the way they change in AlGaAs as the AlAs mole fraction is increased. In this way the effects of having different chemical constituents can be separated from those due to changes in the conduction band structure. The DLTS measurements were performed on Si-doped GaAs under pressure and, when P 3 24 kbar, both a DLTS peak having a thermal emission activation energy of 0.33eV (Mizuta et ul., 1985) and PPC (Tachikawa et al., 1985) were observed. The deep level can only originate from the Si donors, because the concentrations of all other impurities are orders of magnitude lower in the high-purity GaAs sample used in this experiment. This key experiment showed that the DX levels are present in GaAs where they lay above the bottom of the conduction band. The phenomena associated with the DX levels are observed only when the band gap widens due to the application of hydrostatic pressure or the change in alloy composition and the DX levels therefore are below the shallow donor states. The kinetics of charge capture were also studied in AlGaAs samples with hydrostatic pressure applied (Mooney et ul., 1986). As shown in Fig. 30(b), the capture barrier varies strongly with applied pressure, just as it varies with the alloy composition. This result further demonstrates that the observed properties of the DX levels depend strongly on their energy position relative to the conduction band states. Figure 31(a) shows the variation of the conduction band minima along with the shallow donor states and the DX levels as the alloy composition varies and parts (b) and (c) indicate the thermal emission activation energy E , and capture activation energy E, when the DX levels are below and above the bottom of the conduction band, respectively. When the DX levels are well above the Fermi energy, their equilibrium occupation and, therefore, their effect on the properties of the material, is negligible. The observation of DX levels in GaAs under pressure stimulated important theoretical calculations of donors in CaAs under pressure (Chadi and Chang, 1988, 1989). These calculations demonstrated that, provided the Si atom traps two electrons, the total energy is a minimum when the Si atom moves from the group 111 substitutional site toward an interstitial site, where it has three group 111 atom close neighbors. The two configurations for Si in GaAs are shown in Fig. 32. The DX center is said to have a negative correlation energy, that is, a negative U, because the two electron level has
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 139
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FIG. 31. (a) Schematic diagram showing variation of the energies of the three conduction band minima, the hydrogenic donor states, and the DX levels with the composition of AI,Ca,-,As. Also shown are the thermal emission and capture energies for DX levels in Si-doped AI,Ga,-.As when (b) Y = 0.4 and (c) x = 0. (From Mooney et al., 1991.)
a lower energy than the single electron donor state. This occurs because the increased energy due to the repulsion between the two electrons is offset by the decrease in energy due to the relaxation of the crystal lattice near the defect. The capture barrier can be understood in terms of this model as the energy needed to break a Si bond, which occurs when the atom moves to the interstitial site. Figure 33 shows a revised C-C diagram that accounts for the trapping of two electrons. Here the intermediate state is shown with only a very small lattice relaxation, although that is not crucial to the argument for an intermediate state. The intermediate state inferred from the capture experiments may be the neutral state of the DX configuration.
140
P. M. MOONEY
Frci. 32. Ball and stick modcl showing the atom positions for the substitutional Si donor (left-hand side) and the distorted DX configuration (right-hand side). Note that in the distorted configuration the Si atom has three G a close neighbors.
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CONFIGURATION COORDINATE FIG, 33. Configuration coordinate diagram appropriate for a Negative U model of the DX center in direct gap AI,Ga,-,As. The parabola labeled 2U, represents thc total energy when UE represents the total two electrons are i n the conduction band. The parabola labeled U, energy after capture of the first electron at an interinediate state having only a small lattice relaxation. The parabola labeled 2UGx represents the total energy when two electrons are trapped at the DX level and a relaxation of the lattice has occurred. E& is defined as the average energy per electron of the two-electron state. E, is the barrier for capture of the second electron and E,, is the thermal emission activation energy for the first emitted electron. (From Theis and Mooney, 1990.)
+
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 141
More detailed studies of the thermal emission process showed a significant difference between the emission transients in GaAs and AlGaAs. Measurements of the entire thermal emission transients were taken at constant capacitance. The transients were found to be exponential in GaAs samples (Calleja et ul., 1990a); however, those in AlGaAs were not (Calleja et al., 1986). The deviation from a single exponential was largest at compositions close to x = 0.4 and it did not vary when hydrostatic pressure was applied to the sample. This indicates that the nonexponential transients result from the variation in the chemical species of the group 111 atoms, not from a variation in the band structure. Constant capacitance DLTS measurements were performed on very heavily doped GaAs and AlGaAs samples having very low AlAs mole fraction. Although the DX levels are above the bottom of the conduction band, the energy difference between the Fermi level and the DX levels is small enough that the DX levels are partially occupied (Mooney et al., 1988; Theis et al., 1988). Data for these samples, along with AlGaAs samples having a higher AlAs mole fraction, are shown in Fig. 34. The key feature of these data is that as the AlAs mole fraction increases, the temperature position of the dominant DLTS peak shifts in discrete steps corresponding to three different emission rates. Arrhenius plots for the three DLTS peaks are shown in Fig. 35. The thermal emission energy of the DX levels in the GaAs sample is 0.33 eV. That for each of the two DLTS peaks, which are dominant in the other samples, is 0.43eV. It is clear from the Arrhenius plots that the two peaks with the same activation energy have different pre-exponential factors. Simulated DLTS spectra show that the essential features of the DLTS spectra can be modeled as the sum of three distinct exponential emission processes, which occur with different relative amplitudes as the AlAs mole fraction is changed. The presence of four distinct emission processes was reported in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum welt structures (Baba et al., 1989) and three distinct DLTS peaks were also observed in AlGaAs alloys by Laplace transform DLTS, which has higher energy resolution (Dobaczewski et al., 1995). These experimental results can be interpreted in terms of the atomic model of Fig. 32, if the different emission processes correspond to atomic configurations in which Si atoms have different combinations of Ga and A1 close neighbors. Clearly, in GaAs all three near neighbors are G a atoms. In the alloy, however, four different DX configurations are possible, that is, the Si atom can have zero, one, two, or three A1 near neighbors. These DLTS results are easily understood, if the energy position of the DX levels depends on the number of A1 near neighbors. This interpretation is verified by DLTS measurements of AlGaAs samples having very low x with applied hydrostatic pressure (Calleja et al., 1990b;
142
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2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 143
4
5
6 1000/T (K-')
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FIG. 35. Arrhenius plots for the dominant DLTS peaks in the spectra of Fig. 33: the circles are data from the x = 0 sample, the squares are data from the x = 0.04 sample and the triangles are data from the x = 0.23 sample. (From Mooney et a!., 1988.)
Mooney et al., 1991). The three thermal emission activation energies do not vary with the applied pressure, indicating that they are unrelated to the conduction band structure and must therefore be related to the chemical species of the group 111 near neighbors to the Si atoms. The DLTS spectra for a sample in which the DX levels lie within the conduction band are shown in Fig. 36. Because the concentration of electrons trapped at DX levels is low compared to the concentration of electrons in the conduction band, standard (i.e., transients taken at constant applied voltage) DLTS measurements were used. A plot of the change in capacitance for each DLTS peak, which is proportional to the concentration of trapped electrons, is plotted as a function of the applied pressure in Fig. 37. The pressure dependence can be understood in terms of the diagram in Fig. 38, which shows the relative energy position of the three DX levels. As the levels are pushed down closer to the Fermi level under applied pressure, the concentration of trapped electrons increases. However, once the Fermi level crosses the lowest energy DX level, all the states are filled. Because the intensity of P, changes very little, DX2 must reside close to the Fermi level and at a lower energy than the other two DX levels. The intensity of the PI peak is always greater than that of the Po peak; thus DX1 must be below DXO. We know from the measurements on GaAs that DXO corresponds to the configuration having no A1 near neighbors. Therefore configurations in which the Si has A1 neighbors have lower energies. Furthermore, we know
144
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FIG. 37. Pressure dependence of the amplitudes of the capacitance transients for thc three DLTS peaks in Fig. 35. (From Calleja et d., 1990b.)
that the fraction of DX configurations having two A1 neighbors is much less than the fraction having only a single A1 neighbor in samples having very low AlAs mole fraction. Therefore, as P, is more intense than P,, we conclude that the DX1 level originates from configurations having a single A1 neighbor and that DX2 originates from those having two A1 near neighbors. Apparently the more A1 neighbors the lower the energy of the DX level. This experimental result is supported by calculations showing that the energy of the defect orbital is strongly perturbed by the A1 atom (Zhang, 1991).
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 145
FIG. 38. Schematic diagram of the free energies of DX levels in A1,,,,Gan~,,As at ambient pressure. Electron emission involves a transition from ED, over the capture barrier E,,, to the conduction band E,. (From Calleja et ul., 1990b.)
The energy positions of the four possible DX levels are shown in Fig. 39. The intensity of each dotted line is intended to indicate the relative concentration of the level at each value of x. Clearly, there are very few of the DX configurations having two and three A1 neighbors in samples having low x and few configurations having zero or one A1 neighbor in those having high x. These experimental results provide very strong support for the model of the DX center illustrated in Fig. 32. Experiments leading to the identification of the DX centers in Si-doped AlGaAs have been described in this section. These experiments show how space-charge spectroscopies have been used for detailed studies of thermal emission and capture processes and also for studies of optical emission processes. The use of an external perturbation, in this case hydrostatic pressure, provided critical information as well as allowed a direct comparison between experimental results and calculations on Si-doped GaAs.
V.
Conclusions
This chapter has included a brief review of the fundamental characteristics of deep levels in semiconductors, which can be studied using DLTS and related space-charge spectroscopies. These techniques have also been reviewed and a few examples have been presented to illustrate how they have been applied to deep level defects in both Si and III-V semiconductor alloys. The various space-charge spectroscopies described in this chapter have
146
P. M. MOONEY 2.2 DXO DX 1 DX2 DX3
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FIG. 39. Schematic diagram showing the variation in energy of the three conduction band minima (solid lines), the hydrogenic levels of the Si donors (open symbols), and the four DX levels (dotted lines) with thc composition of AI,Ga, _,As. The spacing of the dots indicates the relative concentrations of each of the DX levels.
played an important role in the identification of point defects and point defect complexes and in understanding the characteristics of deep levels and their effects on properties of semiconductors. These experimental methods and their application have evolved over time as new instruments became available and new defect problems have become important. Space-charge techniques are particularly useful because, unlike many other experimental techniques employed in the study of defects in semiconductors, these can be applied to thin films and, in some cases, to real semiconductor devices. Some important examples of their use have been presented in this chapter to illustrate the power of these methods. However, the variety of materials and the number of interesting defects that have been studied using these methods far exceeds the few examples that could be cited here.
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Cheng, L. J., Correlli, J. C . ,Corbett, J . W., and Watkins, G. D. (1966). 1.8-, 3 3 , and 3.9-p bands in irradiated silicon: Correlations with the divacancy. Phys. Rev., 152, pp. 761 -774. Chen, C. S . and Correlli, J. C. (1972). Infrared spectroscopy of divacancy-associated rddiationinduced absorption bands in silicon. Phys. Reo. B, 5, pp. 1505-1517. Copcland, J. A. (1969). Technique for directly plotting inverse doping profile of seniiconductor wafers. I E E E Trans. on Elrctron Devices, ED-16, pp. 445-449. Craven, R. A. and Finn, D. (1979). The sulphur-related trap in GaAs, - x P A .J . Appl. Phys., 50, pp. 6334 6343. DeJulc, R. Y., Haas, M. A,, Ruby, D. S., and Stillman, G. E. (1985). Constant capacitance DLTS circuit for measuring high purity semiconductors. Solid-Srare Electronics, 28, pp. 639-641. Dobaczewski, L., Kaczor, P., Hawkins, I. D. and Pcaker, A. R. (1994). Laplace transform deep-level spectroscopic studies of defects in semiconductors. J . A p p l . Phys., 76, pp. 194-198. Dobaczewski, L., Kaczor P., Missous, M., Peaker, A. R. and Zytkiewicz, Z. R. (1995). Structure of the DX state formed by donors in (Al,Ga) As and Ga(As,P). J . Appl. Phys., 78, pp. 2468-2477. Engstrom, 0. and A h , A. ( I 978). Thermodynamical analysis of optimal recombination centers in thyristors. Solid State Electronics, 21, pp. 1571- 1576. Farmer, J. W., Lamp, D. C., and Meese, J. M. (1982). Charge transient spectroscopy. Appl. Phys. L m . , 41, 1063-1065. Fcichtinger, H. (1979). Influence of additional gold doping o n the Fe"-solid solution in silicon. Inst. Phys. Conf Ser., No. 46, pp. 528-532. Ferenczi, G., Boda, J., and Pavelka, T. (1986). Isothermal frequency scan DLTS. Phys. Stat. Sol. (a). 94, pp. K1 I9 K124. Garrett, C. G. B. and Brattain, W. H. (1955). Physical theory of semiconductor surfaces. Phys. Rev., 99, pp. 376 387. Gerson, J. D. Cheng, L. J., and Corbett. J. W. (1977). A quenched-in defect in boron-doped silicon. .I. Appl. Phys., 48, pp. 4821-4822. Goodman, S. A,, Auret, F. D., and Meyer, W. E., (1994). Electric field effect o n the emission of clcctron-irradiation-induceddefects in n-GaAs. Jpn. J . Appl. Phys., 33, pp. 1949- 1953. Graff, K. and Peiper H. (1981). The properties of iron in Si. J . Electrochem Soc., 128, pp. 669-674. Grimmeiss, H. G. (1977). Deep levels in semiconductors. Ann. Reo. Mafur. Sci., 7, pp. 341-376. Grimmeiss, H. G., Janzn, E.. and Skarstam. B. (1980). Electronic properties of selenium-doped silicon. J . Appl. Phys. 51, pp. 3740-3745. Hasegawa, F. (1985). A new method (the three point method) of determining transient time constants and its application to DLTS. Jupan. J . Appl. Phys., 24, pp. 1356 1358. Hawkins, I. D. and Peaker, A. R. (1986). Capacitance and conductance deep lcvel transient spectroscopy in field-effect transistors. Appl. Phys. Lett., 48, pp. 227-229. Hartke, J. L. (1968). The Thrce-dimensional Poole-Frenkel effect. J . A p p l . Phys., 39, pp. 48714873. Henry, C. H. and Lang, D. V. (1975). Nonradiative capture and recombination by multiphonon emission in GaAs and Gap. Phys. Rev. B, 15, pp. 989-1016. Heydenreich, J. and Breitenstein, 0. (1986). Characterization of defects in semiconductors by combined application of SEM (EBIC) and SDLTS. Journal of Microscopy, 141, pp. 129142. Hilibrand, J. and Gold, R. D. (1960). Determination of impurity distribution in junction diodes from capacitance-voltage measurements. R C A Reii., 21, pp. 245-252. Hiilzlein, K., Pensl, G., Schulz. M., and Stolz, P. (1986). Fast computer-controlled deep lcvel transient spectroscopy system for versatile applications in semiconductors. Rev. Sci. Instrum., 57, pp. 1373 1377. ~
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION
USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 149
Hurtes, Ch., Boulou, M., Mitonneau, A,, and Bois, D. (1978). Deep-level spectroscopy in high-resistivity materials. Appl. Phys. L e t t . , 32, pp. 821 -823. Ikeda, K., Takaoka, H., and Ishii, Y . (1985). Photo-deep-level Fourier spectroscopy in semiinsulating bulk materials. Jupcin. J . Appl. Phys., 24, pp. 1454-1458. Ikossi-Anastasiou, K. and Roenker, K. P. (1987). Refinements in the method of moments for analysis of multiexponcntial capacitance transients in deep-level transient spectroscopy. J . Appl. Phys., 61, pp. 182-190. Johnson, N. M., Bartelink, D. J., Gold, R. B., and Gibbons, J. F. (1979). Constant-capacitance DLTS measurements of defcct-density profiles in semiconductors. J . Appl. Phys., 50, pp. 4828-4833. Johnson, N. M. (1 986). Deep level transient spectroscopy: Defect characterization in semiconductor devices. M a t . Res. Sor. Symp. Pior., 69, pp. 75-94, Johnson, N. M. (1986). Deep-level transient spcctroscopy: Characterization and identification of electronic defects. Optical Engineering, 25, pp. 698-704. Johnson, W. C. and Panousis T. (1971). The influence of Debye length on the C-V measurement of doping profiles, I E E E Trans., ED-18, pp. 965-973. Kimerling, L. C. (1974). Influence of deep traps on the measurement of free-carrier distributions in semiconductors by junction capacitance techniques. J . Appl. Phys. 45, pp. 1839-1845. Kimerling, L. C. ( 1 976). Defect States in Electron-bombarded silicon: Capacitance transient analysis. In Rucliaiion Eflect.7 in Surnicondiieior.s 1976 (N. B. Urli and J. W. Corbett, eds.), The Institute of Physics, London, pp. 221-230. Kimerling, L. C. and Chcn, L. J. Unpublished. See data in Miller (1977). Kimerling, L. C., Benton, J. L., and Rubin, J . J. (1981). Transition metal impurities. Inst. Phys. Conf Ser., No. 59, pp. 217-222. Kimerling, L. C. and Benton, J. L. (1981). Oxygen-related donor states in silicon. Appl. Phys. Leit., 39, pp.410-412. Kimerling, L. C. and Benton, J. L. (1983). Electronically controlled reactions of interstitial iron in silicon. Physira, I16B, pp. 297 -300. Kirchner, P. D., SchaK, W. J., Maracas, G. N., Eastman L. F., Chappell, T. I., and Ransom, C. M. (1981). The analysis of exponential and nonexponential transients in deep-level transient spectroscopy. J . Appl. Phys., 52, pp. 6462-6470. Kleinhenz, R., Mooney, P. M., Schneider, C. P.. and Paz, 0.(1985). Defects produced in silicon and GaAs during E-beam evaporation of metals. J . Electron Muter., 14a, pp. 627-633. Lamp, C . D., Farmer, J. W., and Meese, J. M. (1984). Uniaxial stress apparatus for deep level transient spectroscopy studies. Rev. Sri. Instrum., 55, pp. 210-212. Landsberg, P. T. and Shaban, E. H. (1987). Effect of the capture coefficient in deep-level transicnt spectroscopy measurements. .I. Appl. Phys., 61, pp. 5055-5061. Lang, D. V. (1974a). Fast capacitance transicnt apparatus: Application to Z n O and centers in G a P p-n junctions. J . Appl. Phys.. 45, pp. 3014-3022. Lang, D. V. (1974). Deep-level transient spectroscopy: A new method to characterize traps in semiconductors. J . A p p l . Phys. 45, pp. 3023-3032. Lang, D. V. and Henry, C. H. (1975). Nonradiative recombination at deep levels in GaAs and G a P by lattice-relaxation multiphonon cmission. Phy.9. Rev. Lett., 35, pp. 1525 -1528. Lang, D. V. (1979). Space-charge spectroscopy in semiconductors. In Thermally Srin7ulated Rdaxrrtion 0f'Solid.s (P. Braunlich, ed.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 93- 133. Lang, D. V., Logan, R. A,, and Jaros, M. (1979). Trapping characteristics and a donorcomplex (DX) model for the persistent-photoconductivity trapping center in Te-doped AI,Ga,-,As. Phys. Rev. B, 19, pp. 1015-1030. Lang, M., Pensl, G., Gcbhard, M., Achtziger, N., and Ilhrmacher, M. (1991). Deep level
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transient spectroscopy on radioactive impurities: Demonstration for Si: '111. Appl. Phys. A, 53, pp. 95-101. Lannoo, M. and Bourgoin, J. (1981). Poinr DeJect,.c.tsin Semiconductors I: Theoreticul Aspects, Springer-Verlag, Berlin. Lebedev, A. A. and Ecke, W. (1986). Determination of the density of deep levels in the bulk of a semiconductor by transient spectroscopy under constant-capacitance conditions. Sou. Phys. Semicond., 20, pp. 1134-1137. Lefevre, H. and Schultz, M. (1977). Double correlation technique (DDLTS) for the analysis of deep level profiles in semiconductors. Appl. Phys., 12, pp. 45.- 53. Legros, R., Mooney, P. M., and Wright. S. L. (1987). Photoionization cross section of the DX ccnter in Si-doped AI,Ca, -,As. Phys. Reo. B, 35, pp. 7505-7510. Li, G . P. and Wang, K. L. (1985). Detection sensitivity and spatial resolution of reverse-bias pulsed deep-level transient spectroscopy for studying electric field-enhanced carrier emission. , J . A p p l . Phys., 57, pp. 1016-1021. Lubberts, G. and Burkey, B. C. (1975). A method for calculating band profile and capacitance of nonuniformly doped Schottky barriers. Solid-Srufe Electronics, 18, pp. 805 809. Ludwig, G . W. and Woodbury, H. H. (1962). Electron spin resonance in semiconductors. In Solid Stute Physics (F. Seitz and D. Turnbull, eds.), Academic Press, New York, Vol. 13, pp. 223-304. Maas, K., Irmscher, K., and Klose, H. (1985). On the determination of deep level concentration profiles by DLTS mcasurements. Phys. Stat. Sol. (a). 91, pp. 667-675. Madclung, 0. and Schultz, M. (1989). Impurities und Dcfects in Group IV Elements and III-V Compounds. Landolt-Biirnstein, New Series, Group 111, Vol. 22, Pt. b. Springer, Berlin. Maguirc, H. G. and Marshall, A. (1986). Rapid computer-controlled capacitance transient characterization of deep-level centers. l E E E Transuctions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 1M-35, pp. 313-317. Makram-Ebeid. S. and Lannoo, M. (1982). Quantum model for phonon-assisted tunnel ionization of deep levcls in a semiconductor. Phys. Reo. B, 25, pp. 6406-6424. Meese. J. M., Farmer, J. W., and Lamp, C . D. (1983). Defect symmetry from stress transient spectroscopy. Phys. Rev. Lett., 51, pp. 1286 1289. Meijer. E. and Grimmeiss, H. G . (1984). Dynamics of capture from free-carrier tails in depletion regions and its consequences in junction experiments. J . Appl. Phys., 55, pp. 4266-4274. Miller, G. L. (1972). Feedback method for investigating carrier distributions in semiconductors. I E E E Trans. on Electron Devices, ED-19, pp. 1103 - I 108. Miller, G. L., Lang, D. V., and Kimerling, L. C, (1977). Capacitance transient spectroscopy. Ann. Reu. Mnter. Sci., I, pp. 317-448. Misrachi, S., Peaker, A. R., and Hamilton, B. (1980). A high sensitivity bridge for the measurement of deep states in semiconductors. J . Phys. E . 13, pp. 1055-1061. Miyakawa, T. (1986). Analysis of nonexponential capacitance transients in Schottky diodes 1. Memoirs of the Nutional Defense Academy, Japan, 26, pp. 45-54. Mizuta, M., Tachikawa, M., Kukimoto, H., and Minomura, S. (1985). Direct evidence for the DX center being a substitutional donor in AlGaAs alloy system. Jpn. J . Appl. Phys. 24, pp. L143-Ll46. Mooney, P. M., Chen, L. J., Sli, M., Gerson, J. D., and Corbett, J. W. (1977). Defect energy levels in boron-doped silicon irradiated with 1-MeV electrons. Phys. Rev. B, 15, pp. 38363843. Mooney, P. M. (1983). Photo-deep level transient spectroscopy: A technique to study deep levels in heavily compensated semiconductors. J . Appl. Phys., 54, pp. 208-21 3. Mooncy, P. M., Calleja. E., Wright, S . L., and Heiblum, M. (1986). Effect of the Host band structure on capture and emission processes at DX centers in AIGaAs. In Defects in Setniconducrors (H. J . von Bardeleben, ed.), Mat. Sci. Forum, Vols. 10-12, pp. 417-422. ~
2 DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USINGCAPACITANCE SPECTROSCOPY 151 Mooney, P. M., Caswell, N. S., and Wright, S. L. (1987). The capture barrier of the DX center in Si-doped AI,Ga, _,As. J . Appl. Phys., 62, pp. 4786-4797. Mooney, P. M. Theis, T. N., and Wright, S. L. (1988). Effect of local alloy disorder on emission kinetics of deep donors (DX centers) in AI,Ga, -.As of low Al content. Appl. Phys. Lett., 53, pp. 2546- 2548. Mooney, P. M., Northrop, G. A,, Morgan, T. N., and Grimmiess, H. G . (1988). Evidence for large lattice relaxation at the DX center in Si-doped AI,Ga,-,As. Phys. Rev. B, 37, pp. 8298-8307. Mooney, P. M. (1990). Deep donor levels (DX centers) in 111-V semiconductors. J . Appl. Phys., 67, pp. RILR26. Mooney, P. M., Theis, T. N., and Calleja, E. (1991). Effects of local alloy disorder on the emission kinetics of deep donors (DX centers) in AI,Ga, _,As. J . Electron. Mater., 20, pp. 23- 33. Morimoto, J., Kida, T., Miki, Y.. and Miyakawa, T. (1986a). Multi-exponential analysis of DLTS. Appl. Phys. A , 39, pp. 197-202. Morimoto, J., Kida, T., and Miyakawa, T. (1986b). Multi-exponential analysis of DLTS by CONTIN. M a t . Rex SUC. Symp. Pruc., 69, pp. 343-348. Morimoto, J., Fudamoto, M., Tahira, K., Kida, T., Kato, S., and Miyakawa, T. (1987). Spectral analysis of deep level transient spectroscopy (SADLTS). Japan J . Appl. Phys., 26, pp. 1634- 1640. Nolte, D. D. and Haller E. E. (1987). Optimization of the energy resolution of deep-level transient spectroscopy. J . Appl. Phys., 62, pp. 900-906. Northrop, G. A. and Mooney, P. M. (1991). Confirmation of large lattice relaxation of the DX center by extended photo-ionization Cross-section measurements. J . Electron. Muter., 20, pp. 13-22. Okumura, T. and Ikoma, T. (1974). New method to determine the photoionization threshold energy of a deep level from photocapacitance. Appl. Phys. Lell., 25, pp. 572-574. Okushi, H. and Tokumaru, Y. (1980). Isothermal capacitance transient spectroscopy for determination of deep level parameters. Japun. J . Applied. Phys., 19. pp. L335-L338. Oniling, P., Samuelson, L., and Grimmeiss, H. G. (1983). Deep level transient spectroscopy evaluation of nonexponential transients in semiconductor alloys. J . Appl. Phys., 54, pp. 5117-5122. Pensl, G., Roos, G., Holm, C., and Wagner, P. (1986). Chalcogen double donors in silicon. In Defects in Semiconductors, ( H . J. von Bardeleben, ed.), Materials Science Forum, Vols. 10-12, pp.911-916. Petersen, J. W. and Neilsen, J. (1990). Identification of band-gap states by deep level transient spectroscopy on radioactive probes: The case of Au and Pt in silicon. Appl. Phys. Lett., 56, pp. 1 122- 1 124. Petroff, P. M. and Lang, D. V. (1977). A new spectroscopic technique for imaging the spatial distribution of nonradiative defects in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Appl. Phys. Lett., 31, pp. 60-62. Pons, D. and Makram-Ebeid, S. (1979). Phonon assisted tunnel emission of electrons from deep levels in GaAs. J . de Physique, 40, pp. I 161 1172. Pons, D., Mooney, P. M., and Bourgoin, J. C. (1980). Energy dependence of deep level introduction in electron irradiated GaAs. J . Appl. Phys., 51, pp. 2038-2042. Pons, D. (1984). Accurate determination of the free carrier capture kinetics of deep traps by space-charge methods. 1. Appl. Phys., 55, pp. 3644-3657. Sah, C. T., Forbes, L., Rosier, L. L., and Tasch, A. F. (1970). Thermal and optical emission and capture rates and cross sections of electrons and holes at imperfection centers in semiconductors from photo and dark junction current and capacitance experiments. Solid State Electronics, 13, pp. 759-788.
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Schary, A. and Lee, C. A. (1990). Deep level transient spectroscopy analysis of spatially dependcnt doping profiles. J . Appl. P1ip.s.. 67, pp. 200 216. Shiau, J.-J.,Fahrenbruch, A. L., and Bube, R. H. (1986). Interpretation of capacitance versus voltage measurements in the presence of a high density of deep levels. .I. Appl. Phys., 59, pp. 2879 2884. Shiau, J.-J., Farcnbruch, A. L., and Bube, R. H. (1987). A method to improve the speed and sensitivity of constant-capacitance voltage transient measurements. Soiid-Sfufe Electronics, 30, pp. 513-518. Song, L. W., Zhan, X. D., Benson. B. W., and Watkins, G . D. (1990). Bistable interstitialcarbon-substitutional-carbon pair in silicon. Phys. Rev. B, 42, pp. 5765-5783. Stavola, M. and Kimerling, L. C. (1983). Symmetry determination for deep states in semiconductors from stress-induced dichroism of photocapacitance. J . Appl. Phys., 54, pp. 38973901. Stievenard, D., Rourgoin, J. C., and Lanoo, M. (1984). An easy method to detcrmine carrier-capture cross sections: Application to GaAs. .J. Appl. Phys., 55, pp. 1477 1481. Stievenard, D. and Vuillaume, D. (1986). Profiling of defects using dcep level transient spectroscopy. J. Appl. Phys., 60, pp. 973-979. Su, Z.and Farmer, J. W. (1990). Single scan deep-level transient spectroscopy. J . Appl. Phps., 68, pp. 4068-4070. Sze, S. M. ( I 969). Physics of Semironductor Dauires, Wiley, New York, pp. 403- 404. Tachikawa, M., Fujisawa, T., Kukimoto, H., Oomi, G., and Minomura, S. (1985). Observation of the persistent photoconductivity due to the DX center in GaAs under hydrostatic pressure. Jpn. J . A p p l . P h j ~ . 24, , pp. L893-L894. Thcis, T. N., Mooney, P. M., and Wright, S. L. (1988). Electron localization by a metastable donor level in n-GaAs: A new mechanism limiting frce carrier density. Ph,ys. Rev. Lrlt., 60, pp. 361-364. Theis, T. N. and Mooney, P. M. (1990). The DX center: Evidence for charge capture via an excited intermediate state. Mt~t.Res. Soc. Spmp. Proc., 163. pp. 729 740. Turchanikov, V. I., Lysenko, V. S., and Gusev. V. A. (1986). Isothermal DLTS method using sampling time scanning. Phys. Stut. Sol. ( ( I ) , 95, pp. 283-289. Van Kooten, J. J.. Weller, G . A,, and Amrnerlan, C . A. J. (1984). Electron paramagnetic rcsonance on iron-acceptor pairs in silicon. Phys. Rev. B, 30, pp. 4564-4570. Van Vechten, J. A. and Thurmond, C. D. (1976). Entropy of ionization and temperature variation of ionization levels of defects in semiconductors. Phys. Rev. B, 14, pp. 3539-3550. Wang, A. C. and Sah, C. T. (1984). Determination of trapped charge emission rates from nonexponential capacitance transients due to high trap densities in semiconductors. J . Applirtl. Phys., 55, pp. 565-570. Watkins, G. D. and Corbett. J. W. (1961). Defects in irradiated silicon: Electron spin resonance of the Si-A ccntcr. Phps. Reu., 121, pp. 1001-1014. Watkins, G. D. and Corbett, J . W. (1965). Defects in irradiated silicon: Electron paramagnetic resonance of the divacancy. Phps. Rev., 138. pp. A543-555. Watkins, G. D. (1991). Metastable defects in silicon: Hints for DX and EL2. Sernicond. Sci. Tprlinol., 6, pp. B111-Bl20. Ycargen, J. R. and Taylor, H. L. (1968). The Poole-Frenkel effect with compensation present. J . Appl. Phys., 39, pp. 5600-5604. Zhan, X. D. and Watkins, G. D. (1993). Electron paramagnetic resonance of multistable interstitial-carbon~substitutional-group-V-atom pairs in silicon. Phys. Rel:. B, 47, pp. 6363-6380. Zhang, S. B. (1991). Theory of local-alloy effects on DX centers. PI1y.s. Rev. B, 44, pp. 3417 3419.
SEMICONDLICIOKS A N D SEMIMETALS, VOL. SIB
CHAPTER3
Vibrational Spectroscopy of Light Element Impurities in Semiconductors Michael Stavola DEPARTMEVT O F
PHYSICS
LEHIGIIUNIVFRSITY BFTIILFHEM.
PEVNSYI.VANIA
1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. LOCALVIBRATIONAL MODESAND VIBRATIONALSPECTROSCOPY, , 1. Models,for Impurity Vibrations . . . . . . . . . . . . , , 2. Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Free Carricrs and Charge State Efects in Doped Semiconductors 4. Raman Speciroscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111. ISOTOPESHIFTS . . . . . . . . . . , . , . . . . . . . . , 1. Oxygen in Si und Ge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Impurities in Compound Semiconductors . , . . . . . . . . , 3. Defect Cnrnplexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,
. . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TV. ANHARMONICITV . , . . . . . . . . , . , . . . . . . . . , . , . . . . 1. One-dimensional Models,fbr Hydrogen-containing Complexes . . . . . . . . 2. 17411cm-' Combination Modrqfintc~rstitialOxygen in Si . . . . . . . . . 3. Fermi Resonance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
153 154 154 160 163 165 167 168 113 183 193 195 201 203
V. SYMMETRY, STRESS ALIGNMENT, A N D REOKIENTATION KINETICS FROM UNIAXIAL STRESSDATA . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . 1. Siress-induced Splitting of Vibrcitionul Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Kinetics of Defect Motion . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . 3. Ground-state Energy Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Correlation oj' Microscopic Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . , . . . , ,
206 207 21 1 216 21 7 219
I. Introduction The addition of impurities to a host crystal, whose masses are less than the masses of the host atoms, gives rise to new vibrational modes with higher frequencies than the host crystal's vibrational modes. The vibrational spectroscopy of these high-frequency modes has become an important probe of defects in solids and often provides information about defect structure 153 Copyright P 1999 by Academic Press All righis of reproduction in any form rcseived. ISBN 0-12-752165-8 ISSN 0080-8784 $ 3 0 0
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and properties that cannot be obtained by other methods. The restriction to lighter impurities than the host atoms is an important limitation. Nonetheless, the light elements include important dopants, many of the most common contaminants in semiconductors, and the constituents of common alloys. In favorable cases, the light element impurity, its neighbors, and its lattice site can be identified. Additional perturbations, for example, uniaxial stress, can reveal further information about the impurity’s symmetry and reorientation kinetics. Both electrically active defects, in their different charge states, and electrically inactive defects can be studied. For a few impurities, with the best example being oxygen in Si (Bullis, 1994), the vibrational modes are sufficiently well understood for vibrational spectroscopy to be used as a nondestructive characterization tool in the semiconductor production environment. The treatment of local vibrational modes in this chapter is elementary. Only simple intuitive models are discussed, with the goal of the chapter being to give the reader enough background to understand most experimental studies of local vibrational modes and what can be learned from such work. There are many references to other reviews and the original literature. The number of semiconductor defects studied by vibrational spectroscopy is sufficiently large to make even the choice of examples to be discussed in this chapter difficult. There has been no attempt to make this review comprehensive. Instead, examples have been selected to illustrate the capabilities and power of vibrational spectroscopy for a variety of semiconductor host materials, with a few impurities being revisited in successive sections. Fortunately, several general reviews have been written (Newman, 1973, 1993; Barker and Sievers, 1975) and references to many studies are given in the Landolt-Bornstein series (Murray and Newman, 1989).
11. Local Vibrational Modes and Vibrational Spectroscopy
In this section, the linear chain model for local vibrational modes will be discussed to introduce how impurity-related vibrational modes reveal information about the microscopic properties of defects. This discussion will be followed by a survey of some of the practical issues involved in the measurement of local mode vibrations by infrared absorption or Raman spectroscopies. 1. MODELSFOR IMPURITYVIBRATIONS
Since the 1960s, a number of models have been developed to explore the properties of the vibrational modes of defects in solids, Prominent examples
3
VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF
LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
155
are model calculations performed for linear chains of atoms that contain mass defects (Barker and Sievers, 1975) and alternatively, the Green’s function treatment of a lattice containing a charged defect (Maradudin et al., 1971; Elliot, 1966). While the effect of a mass defect could be calculated in these early studies, the changes of the force constants in the vicinity of the defect were unknown, limiting the predictive capabilities of such models. In recent years, it has become common to calculate the vibrational properties of defects with sophisticated ub initio methods. A strategy commonly used is to calculate the vibrational properties of a defect imbedded in a cluster or supercell. A recent alternative approach is to calculate the lattice Green’s function from the results of ab initio calculations for the vibrations of the perfect lattice (Robbie et al., 1995). The interplay between experimental vibrational spectroscopy and modern computational methods has strengthened both theory and experiment, with experimental vibrational frequencies being an important benchmark for theory; in other cases, theory has been essential to confirm defect models or predict new defect structures to explain vibrational properties. The role of theory will be apparent in later sections as examples of impurity vibrations are discussed. Theoretical methods are discussed elsewhere in Volume 51A of this series in the chapter by Jones and Bridden. In spite of the power of current theoretical methods, simple models remain invaluable because of the intuitive picture of the defect-vibrational modes that they provide. Excellent treatments of the various models for defect-vibrational modes are given in the reviews by Newman (1973) and by Barker and Sievers (1975). Here, a few results from numerical calculations for the vibrational modes of a one-dimensional diatomic chain with nearest neighbor force constants and cyclic boundary conditions will be discussed to illustrate the properties of the vibrations of impurities in crystals. The light and heavy atom masses m and M and the force constant k may be chosen so that the diatomic chain reproduces the qualitative vibrational characteristics of a compound semiconductor host crystal. The example treated in detail by Barker and Sievers (1975) is a 48 atom model for Gap. A schematic of this model and the calculated dispersion curves are shown in Fig. l(a). There are 24 modes in each of the acoustic and optic bands. Of particular interest are the highest mode frequency at 370 cm- and the gap region between 205 and 308 cm-’, which contains no modes. The eigenvectors for a few of the modes are shown in Fig. l(b). Although these are longitudinal modes, the displacements are drawn horizontally for clarity. Many of the qualitative features learned in introductory solid-state physics courses are apparent from this model. The zero frequency mode corresponds to the in-phase displacement of all the atoms. The highest frequency optic mode is at zone center with the atoms in each unit cell vibrating against each other. The highest frequency acoustic mode and
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FIG. 1. (a) Batomic linear chain model for a compound semiconductor and the dispersion curves for a 48 atom chain with periodic boundary conditions. The masses and the force constant have been chosen to mimic the properties of Gap. (m = 31 amu, M = 70 amu, and k = 0.87 x lo5 dynes/cm.) (b) Eigenvectors for the 48 atom chain. The ion displacements are along the chain, but are drawn vertically for clarity. (From Barker and Sievers, 1975.)
3 VIBRATIONALSPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
157
lowest frequency optic mode correspond to displacements of atoms on the heavy and light atom sublattices, respectively, with wavevectors at the zone boundary. Thus, the size of the gap depends on the differences in the masses on the light and heavy atom sublattices, and is substantial for the Gap-like model shown in Fig. l(a). There are a few possibilities for the substitution of a single atom of the chain with an impurity of a different mass. The force constants are assumed to remain unchanged, 1. Suppose one of the light atoms m is replaced by an isotope or impurity of mass m’. For an impurity with a lighter mass, m’ < m, the solution to the model shows a mode with a higher frequency than any of the modes of the chain without defects. The eigenvector for this localized vibrational mode, shown in Fig. 2(a) for m‘ = 20 amu (atomic mass units), is not sinusoidal and is localized in the vicinity of the impurity. The motion is primarily of the impurity atom and its nearest neighbors with a rapidly decaying amplitude for more distant neighbors. Qualitatively, there are no lattice modes of the appropriate frequency to carry the vibrational energy away from the impurity, and the model calculations show that the local mode does not propagate. The amplitude of the normalized eigenvector u(m’) for each mode at the site of m’ is also given in Fig. 2(a). Here, @%of the vibrational amplitude is at the site of m’ for the local mode, with the remaining 12% spread out among the impurity atom’s neighbors. As m’ becomes lighter, the high-frequency mode becomes more localized as is shown in Fi .3. In the limit m’ m, there is now a mode that falls in the gap between the acoustic and optic phonon bands. The eigenvector for this gap mode involves substantial motion of the neighboring atoms, with the impurity and its neighbors moving out of phase. 4. Finally, if the atom of mass M is replaced by a heavier atom, M’ > M, and the force constants are not changed, there are no localized modes
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FIG. 2. (a) Diatomic linear chain model containing a light element impurity that substitutes for an atom on the light atom sublattice (m'<m) along with its eigenvectors. The highest frequency mode is the local mode of the impurity. (b) Diatomic linear chain model containing a light element impurity that substitutes for an atom on the heavy atom sublattice ( M ' < M ) along with its eigenvectors. The highest frequency mode is the local mode of the impurity and also a gap mode separates from the top of the acoustic branch. (From Barker and Sievers, 1975.)
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
159
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for the one-dimensional chain. In real crystals and for other models, there are resonant modes that give rise to broad absorption features in the lattice bands. Examples of impurities that gives rise to such modes are P, Ge and As in Si (Barker and Sievers, 1975, and the references contained therein). The broad absorption features do not usually lend themselves to the observation of sharp vibrational features from which much structural information about the defect can be determined. While calculations for one-dimensional chain models have been taken much further, the important points for the purposes of this chapter have been made. If an atom with mass m or M is replaced by a lighter impurity, localized modes appear. It is the localized vibrational modes and the information they provide about a defect's structure and properties that are of primary interest in this chapter. As we will see from the examples to be discussed, the localized modes give narrow vibrational lines, allowing shifts from isotopic substitutions or additional perturbations to be resolved. Of course the one-dimensional chain model discussed here is oversimplified and the guidelines already presented are sometimes violated in real crystals, for example, when the force constants in the vicinity of the impurity are changed. Also, there are a few important examples of resonant modes that lie in frequency regions where the density of lattice modes is small, giving rise to sharp quasi-localized modes.
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The linear chain model with a mass defect applies most directly to an isolated substitutional impurity in a crystal. However, a great number of important impurities and defect complexes with lower symmetry have been fruitfully studied, and limiting consideration to substitutional defects is too restrictive. An impurity in a crystal has three vibrational degrees of freedom. For substitutional impurities in a tetrahedral lattice, motions along x, y and z are equivalent and the vibrational modes are triply degenerate. If the symmetry is lowered, this degeneracy is lifted and more than one vibrational line is observed. For example, a light impurity in a trigonal center has two vibrational modes, a nondegenerate mode (A,) in which the atom motions are along the three-fold axis of the center, and a doubly degenerate mode (E) with atomic motions perpendicular to the trigonal axis. For an impurity at a site with lower than axial symmetry, there are three nondegenerate modes. The linear chain models already discussed show that the vibrations of a light impurity are localized at the impurity and its nearest neighbors. Therefore, as a good approximation, the vibrations of a light element impurity and its neighbors can be viewed as the vibrational modes of a “defect molecule.” Thus, the mathematical tools and symmetry considerations used in molecular spectroscopy (Herzberg, 1945; Wilson el al., 1955) are also relevant to the vibrations of defects in semiconductors. Simple molecular models can be of great help with the interpretation of experimental data. Little group theory will be used in this chapter, although vibrational modes will occasionally be labeled by their symmetry designations.
2. INFRARED ABSORPTIONSPECTROSCOPY Fourier transform spectrometers (Griffiths and de Haseth, 1986) with sensitive, cooled infrared detectors are now widely used for local mode studies. The practical aspects of measuring local vibrational modc spectra have been discussed (Newman, 1990a; Murray and Newman, 1989a). Fourier transform instruments have much greater sensitivity than dispersive instruments and the high resolution that is possible with commercial spectrometers has allowed the shifts in impurity modes that result from a change in the isotopic mass of the nearest neighbors to be resolved. A resolution of 0.1 cm-’ is adequate for most local vibrational mode studies in semiconductors, although much higher resolutions are readily available with commercial instruments and have been used in some studies. Semiconductor samples are typically cooled to liquid N, or liquid He temperatures for local mode absorption measurements. At low temperature, a vibrational line narrows and its pcak absorption coefficient increases, assuming the strains in the crystal are small. Thus, the sensitivity of the
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
161
measurement is increased and smaller frequency shifts can be resolved. The sensitivity of local mode absorption measurements depends strongly on the defect being studied and on the spectral range into which the vibrational mode falls. However, as a rough guideline, local vibrational modes can be seen for concentrations of the order of 10'4cm-3 in a 1 cm thick bulk sample, or 10'Hcm-3 in a 1 pm thick epitaxial layer. For a few impurities, lower concentrations can be detected. For exampIe, the sensitivity limit is near lo" cm-3 in a 1 pm thick layer for the hydrogen vibrations of hydrogen-containing complexes because of their high frequency and the availability of sensitive detectors in the appropriate spectral region (near 2000cm- '). As another example, Newman (1990a) has quoted a sensitivity limit of 3 x 10'' c m p 3 for Si,, in a 1 pm thick GaAs layer. Not all impurity vibrational modes are infrared active. The transition probability for an electric-dipole allowed optical transition between vibrational states is proportional to the square matrix element of the electric dipole moment of the center 12.pif12. Here 2 is a unit vector in the direction of the polarization of the light and p i f is the matrix element of the electric dipole moment of the center (which is a function of the coordinates of the defect atoms) between the initial and final vibrational states. For harmonic vibrations, a mode is infrared active if the motions of the defect atom or atoms give rise to a change in the dipole moment of the center, that is, if there is a nonzero dipole-moment derivative with respect to the vibration's normal mode coordinates. Consider the simple example of a linear defect of the form X-Y-X. The symmetric vibrational mode in which the X atom is stationary and the Y atoms vibrate 180" out of phase is infrared inactive because there is no net oscillating dipole moment. The antisymmetric mode in which the Y atoms vibrate in phase with each other and opposite to the direction of X has an allowed electric dipole transition. Furthermore, the vibrational mode will only be excited by incident light that has a component of its electric vector polarized along the direction of the oscillating dipole moment. For the simple example of the antisymmetric stretching mode of a linear defect molecule, the direction of the oscillating dipole moment (i.e., the transition moment) is along the axis of the defect molecule. The integrated absorption coefficient for a defect-absorption band is well known to be proportional to the concentration of the defect. Dawber and Elliot (1963) have used the Green's function method to derive the following commonly used expression for the integrated absorption coefficient for the local modes of an oscillating defect with mass m and an effective charge q :
s
nq2N myc'
a(o)do = -
Here N is the concentration of defects in cm-3, and y is the refractive index
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MICHAELSTAVOLA
of the host. This equation has been written in CGS units to be consistent with the absorption coefficient, which is conventionally determined in units cm-’ and the frequency 0 given in wavenumber units, ern-'. Equation (2) is similar to Smakula’s equation (Dexter, 1958) and has been used in semiconductors without a local field correction. It has been recognized that the effective charge q is not the static charge on the vibrating impurity and is not simply calculated (Leigh and Szigeti, 1967, 1968; Newman, 1973). Instead, the effective charge is related to the derivative of the dipole moment with respect to the normal coordinate of the vibrational mode, as was discussed in the preceding paragraph. This point is underscored by the empirical result that a neutral impurity can have a greater effective charge q than a charged impurity (Newman, 1973). If there is no independent determination of the defect’s concentration to calibrate the absorption strength, a rough estimate of the concentration can be made with the approximation q2 = e’, where e is the electron charge in esu. When making this approximation, it is important to recognize that the error in the estimate of N is typically a factor of about two to four but could easily be much larger. To determine a more accurate concentration for a defect from vibrational spectroscopy, there must be an independent calibration to relate concentration to absorption strength. A variety of methods have been used, including secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), Hall effect, activation analysis, etc. Typically, the calibration is given in terms of the effective charge q in Eq. (I), which is quoted as a multiple of the electron charge. The effective charges for a variety of impurities in GaAs have been tabulated by Newman (1993) with values ranging from about l e to 3e. Alternatively, the factor A in the equation
N=A
s
a(cr)do
is given (in units cni-’). In addition to the measurement error associated with the calibration method, a common problem is that a technique like SIMS measures the total concentration of an impurity even though this impurity might be involved in several defect structures, only one of which contributes to the infrared absorption band being studied. The difficulty in obtaining an accurate calibration is apparent in Bullis’s review (1994) of the determination of the concentration of oxygen in Si by infrared spectroscopy, which shows that the calibration factor has fluctuated by a factor of roughly two since 1964 when the ASTM standard was first established. Thus, while calibration factors have been reported for many defects, inconsistencies between different determinations are often as large as a factor of about two.
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VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
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IN 3. FREECARRIERS A N D CHARGE STATE EFFECTS DOPEDSEMICONDUCTORS
Semiconductors can be doped to have a wide range of free carrier concentrations, and in many cases, it is the vibrational modes of the dopant impurities themselves that are of interest. The free carier concentration and Fermi level position can have several effects on the vibrational bands, which are discussed briefly in the following. a.
Free Currier Absorption
Free carriers in doped semiconductors give rise to a broad continuum absorption that can make semiconductor samples opaque in a frequency range of interest for high free carrier densities. The absorption coefficient due to free carriers is proportional to co-2 (Moss, 1959) and thus, is especially important at low frequencies. Cooling a sample to low temperature sometimes reduces the continuum absorption by freezing out the free carriers, but in this case the electronic absorption associated with the bound carriers can be strong and can interfere with vibrational absorption measurements. A few methods have been used to reduce the free carrier concentration. (See Newman, 1973, for a review.)
1. A strategy commonly used in recent work has been to use electron irradiation to introduce compensating deep defects. This approach was introduced in an early local mode study of Si doped with high concentrations of P and B by Smith and Angress (1963). In III-V semiconductors, Spitzer et al. (1969) used electron irradiation to compensate Si doped GaAs. 2. An alternative approach is to diffuse Cu or Li into samples to reduce the free carrier absorption. This method was used by Balkanski and Nazarewicz (1964) in early studies of B-doped Si and by Lorimor and Spitzer (1966) in studies of Si-doped GaAs. 3. Another recent strategy has been to passivate dopant impurities with hydrogen. With all of these methods, the compensating impurities or defects may interact with the impurity being studied. Therefore, one must carefully determine what these interactions are to separate the effects of the compensation method from the properties of the impurity in the uncompensated sample. In many cases there are strong interactions and it is the defect
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MICHAELSTAVOLA
interactions and the resulting complexes that are studied. Numerous examples have been reviewed elsewhere (Newman, 1973, 1993; Barker and Sievers, 1975). In other cases, there is essentially no interaction between the compensating defect and the impurity of interest, an example of which is Si in GaAs (Spitzer et a/., 1969; Newman, 1993, 1994). h. Funo Resoncmcv
When a sharp absorption line is in resonance with a broad continuum absorption, and there is coupling between these, Fano (1961) showed that the absorption line shape could be modified. This effect, first studied for atomic transitions, can also be important in semiconductors. If a local vibrational mode occurs in a region where there is also free carrier absorption, the absorption line can be shifted and its line shape modified. This effect was studied in detail by Raman spectroscopy of the B local mode in heavily doped Si (Cerdeira et ul., 1974; Chandrasekhar et a!., 1980). The effect of Fano resonance on the line shapes of local modes has also been observed in several infrared absorption experiments. Spectra of Be doped GaAs are shown in Fig. 4, which compares the line shapes observed for the
I
I
I
476 480 484 WAVE NUMBERS (em-') FIG. 4. Spectra measured at 4 . 2 K for a Be-doped GaAs epitaxial layer with [p] = 3.7 x 10"cm- ', Spectrum (a) was measured for an as-grown sample and (b) was measured for a sample irradiated with 2 MeV electrons. (From Murray et d., 198Ya.)
3
VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF
LIGHTELEMENT IMPURlTlES
165
Be local mode before and after the sample was compensated by electron irradiation (Murray et al., 1989a). Fano resonance will not be important in the examples to be discussed in this chapter, and is included here only to complete the discussion of the effects of free carriers. However, it is important to recognize that in heavily doped semiconductors, the vibrational lines can be shifted and broadened. And the asymmetric Fano lineshape that dips below the baseline of the spectrum can make the area of a vibrational band impossible to determine accurately. c.
The Ef'ct cf Charge State
Many of the defects of interest have levels in the semiconductor band gap and hence more than one charge state. Not surprisingly, a change in the electronic charge of a defect changes the strength of the bonds and hence the vibrational frequencies. For shallow impurities with their delocalized wavefunctions, a change in charge state has little effect on the vibrational mode frequencies. For example, there is only a small shift of the Be local mode in GaAs shown in F i g 4 upon a change in charge state, and in this case the shift is due primarily to the Fano resonance interaction. However, for deep level defects, with their more localized states, the shifts of the vibrational lines are often large, that is, tens of cm-', and are easily observed. An early example is the oxygen-vacancy complex in Si with local mode frequencies of 835 and 884cm-' for the (0-V)' and ( 0 - V ) - charge states, respectively (Newman, 1973). Thus, the local mode frequencies of a deep level defect can be modified by a change in the defect's charge state that results from a change in the Fermi level position, or thermal ionization, or photoionization. Such charge-state-related changes in the vibrational frequencies lead to an unusual method to monitor a deep defect's charge state, that is, from the defect's vibrational spectra.
4. RAMANSPECTROSCOPY Raman spectroscopy is complementary to infrared absorption spectroscopy, and in some situations, can have important advantages. A review of the use of Raman spectroscopy for the characterization of semiconductors has been written by Prevot and Wagner (1991). For Raman scattering measurements of impurity local modes, a monochromatic laser beam is incident on a sample. Typically, the scattered light is dispersed with a double or triple monochromator and detected with a multichannel detector. For
166
MICHAEL STAVOLA
absorbing semiconductor samples, backscattering geometries are used. In addition to the elastically scattered light, there is also light that has been inelastically scattered by the excitations of the crystal. Measurements are usually made at low temperatures and only Stokes scattering processes that excite impurity vibrations have appreciable intensity. In this case, the frequency of light us scattered from local mode vibrations satisfies the relationship
where uLand wLVMare the laser and local mode frequencies, respectively. Thus the local modes can be detected from their Raman shifts. In Raman scattering experiments, the scattered light with the same polarization as the incident beam, or with perpendicular polarization, can be measured. Raman scattering is typically a weak process. Two things make it possible to study the local mode vibrations of impurities. The first is the use of multichannel detectors to analyze the scattered light, which greatly increases the signal to noise ratio (S/N) of Raman measurements when compared with the use of a scanning monochromator with photon counting detection. Second, if the exciting or scattered light has the same energy as an electronic excitation of the host crystal, then the Raman scattering intensity can be resonantly enhanced. Experiments are typically performed with incident photon energies in resonance with high-energy band gaps of the host semiconductor. For GaAs (Ramsteiner et al., 1988), the vibrational modes of several acceptors show resonance enhancement for incident photon energies approaching the E, gap (1.9-2.7eV). The SiGa donor in GaAs shows resonance enhancement in a more narrow range at higher energy (3.0eV, very near the E, gap energy). Similar behavior has been observed for other III-V semiconductors (Wagner et al., 1991). Raman measurements of impurity local modes can be made in very thin layers, that is, 10 to 100nm depending on the excitation energy, and are therefore ideal for studying heavily doped epitaxial layers and delta-doped structures. For infrared absorption experiments performed on heavily doped samples, the free carrier concentration must usually be reduced by some compensation scheme, as was already discussed in Section 11.3. For Raman scattering experiments, free carrier absorption is unimportant for the small penetration depth of the incident light, although lineshapes are sometimes modified by Fano resonance effects (Section 11.3). The Raman intensity for a local mode must be calibrated for each impurity from measurements made on a sample with a known impurity concentration. For example, the vibrational bands of Si-related donor and acceptor centers in GaAs have been calibrated and infrared absorption or Raman measurements can be
3
VIBRATIONALSPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
167
used for quantitative measurements (Murray et al., 1989b). The detection limit for Raman scattering is typically lo1* ~ m - ~ . Raman scattering is a second-order process in perturbation theory and is subject to different selection rules than electric-dipole allowed optical transitions. The infrared absorption strength is proportional to the square matrix element of the dipole moment of the center, whereas the Raman intensity is proportional to 12,. R-2J2,where R is the second-order Raman tensor and 2, and P, are unit vectors in the polarization directions of the scattered and incident light (Prevot and Wagner, 1991). Thus, Raman spectroscopy can provide information about vibrational modes that are infrared inactive. Furthermore, both polarized and depolarized scattering can be measured in Raman experiments, and provide information about the symmetries of the vibrational modes.
111. Isotope Shifts
The effect of isotopic substitutions on the vibrational frequencies of a defect often makes it possible for the defect atoms and their neighbors to be unambiguously identified. This is one of the primary strengths of vibrational spectroscopy. The isotopic shifts also provide information from which detailed structural parameters, for example, bond angles, can be determined. Recently, the ability to engineer the isotopic constitution of the host crystal has been attained (Haller, 1995), giving unprecedented control of hostrelated isotope shifts. For a light impurity, it can be seen from Fig.2 that the motions of the impurity and its nearest neighbors are involved in the local mode vibration. The following commonly written expression provides a simple way to account for the effect that both the mass of a light impurity and the mass of its neighbors have upon the vibrational frequency (Leigh and Newman, 1988; Leigh et al., 1994; and references contained therein):
Here m is the mass of the impurity, M , is the mass of the nearest neighbors, and X is a parameter that is typically near 2 (Newman, 1973). In the following, several examples are discussed in which frequency shifts due to isotopic substitutions of the defect atoms or host atoms have been used to identify a defect, its site location, and nearest neighbors.
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MICHAELSIAVOLA
1. OXYGEN I N Si AND Ge Oxygen in silicon is one of the very early examples of an impurity in a solid studied by vibrational spectroscopy. Impurity and host isotope shifts have played an essential role in identifying the vibrational modes and determining the atomic structure. Kaiser et al. (1956) correlated an optical absorption band at 9 pm, measured at room temperature, to the concentration of oxygen in Si grown from a melt contained in a quartz crucible. In this early work, a model was proposed in which the oxygen occupies an interstitial position, bonded to two Si neighbors, similar to the Si-0-Si unit in quartz. The 9 pm absorption band was explained as a Si-0 vibration. This model for interstitial oxygen has been confirmed in numerous subsequent studies except that the S i - 0 - 9 bond angle is larger than was originally suggested. [See the reviews by Newman (1973) and Pajot (1994 and 1996).] In this same paper (Kaiser et ul., 1956), an absorption band observed in Ge near 11.6 ,um at room temperature was assigned to the Ge-0 bond stretching vibration. It is now well known that there arc three strong absorption bands due to near liquid He interstitial oxygen at 29 cm-', 518 cm -', and 1136 cm temperature (Newman, 1973; Pajot, 1994, 1996). There are also several overtone and combination features that have been studied. This section focuses on the 1136 cm-' and 29 c m p l bands, which have been assigned to the antisymmetric strctching and rotational/bending-like vibrations of a nearly linear Si-0-Si "defect molecule," and what can be determined from the frequency shifts to which oxygen and silicon isotopic substitutions give rise. The corresponding oxygen vibrational modes in Ge will also be discussed. The effect of oxygen isotopic substitutions on the vibrational frequency of the antisymmetric stretching band was first observed by Hrostowski and Kaiser (1957). A spectrum of silicon enriched with "0 and ''0 is shown in Fig. 5. The frequency shifts observed for the different oxygen isotopes unambiguously confirm that this is a vibrational motion of oxygen. Additionally, two weaker lines are observed for each oxygen isotope to the low-frequency side of a strong absorption line. Pajot and Deltour (1967) attributed this vibrational structure to the effect of the naturally abundant isotopes of Si (2RSi,92.23%; 29Si, 4.67%; and 30Si, 3.10%) upon the vibrational frequency of the Si-0-Si unit. The frequencies of the lines associated with different isotopes of 0 and Si are given in Table I. The relative intensities of these lines are consistent with the natural isotopic abundances of Si, and with two Si atoms being involved in the vibrational mode.
3 VIBRATIONALSPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
1070
1110
I090
1130
169
1150
WAVENUMBER (cm-1) FIG.5. Spectrum of the antisymmetric stretching band of interstitial oxygen in Si measured at liquid He temperature. The sample was enriched with " 0 and "0. (From Pajot et a/., 1995.) The inset shows the configuration of interstitial oxygen and the motion of the atoms for the antisymmetric stretching mode.
At elevated temperatures, thermally activated vibrational bands appear to the low-frequency side of the 1136 cm-' band. These hot bands result from the thermal population of a low-frequency mode whose first excited state is at 29.3 cm-'. Bosomworth et al. (1970) performed far infrared absorption experiments (25 to 50cm-') to study this low-frequency mode as a function of temperature and deduced the essential features of the currently accepted TABLE I
FREQUENCY (cm- * ) OF THE ANTISYMMETRIC STRETCHING MODEOF INTERSTITIAL OXYGEN IN SILICON (xSi-yO-zSi) MEASURED AT LIQUID He TEMPERATURE FOR DIFFERENT 0 AND si ISOTOPES (Pajot, 1995) Si Isotopes
l " 0
1 136.4 1134.5 1132.7 1130.8 1 129.2
170
1109.5 1107.6 1105.8
*O 1085.0 1083.0 1081.2
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MICHAELSTAVOLA
structural model of interstitial oxygen. The 29.3 c m p l line is an excellent example of a quasi-localized mode that can be observed even though it lies in the band of Si host vibrations. The substitution of l80for "0 shifted the low-frequency mode to 27.2 cm - ', unambiguously confirming its assignment to oxygen. At elevated temperatures, several transitions originating from these low-lying levels were observed in the far-infrared spectrum. A model potential was fit to these data and the low-frequency lines were assigned to energy levels arising from the anharmonic rotational/bending motion of a nearly linear molecule. An important conclusion of this work is that the Si-0-Si center is nearly linear. The potential surface for this low-frequency transverse motion has a minimum displaced only 0.22 A from the Si-Si axis, which implies a Si-0-Si bond angle of 2c( = 162". A similar value for the bond angle for the interstitial oxygen center was also determined from the isotopic structure observed for the antisymmetric stretching band (Fig. 5). Pajot and Cales (1986) treated the Si-0-Si unit as a defect molecule with C,,, symmetry and applied the results for the isotopic frequency shifts of a molecule of the form Y,X derived by DeWames and Wolfram (1964). Upon an isotopic substitution, Yci)for Y or X'i) for X, the frequency shift for the antisymmetric stretching mode, from w 3 to wy) is given by
Here m, is the oxygen mass, m,, and 2u is the Si-0-Si bond angle. To account for the effect of the host, Pajot and Cales (1986) took rn:) to be an effective Si mass, m&' + M ' , where rn& is the isotopic mass of Si and M' is an "interaction mass" that was also used as a parameter to fit the data. From a fit to the frequencies of the isotopically shifted lines for the antisymmetric stretching mode alone, a bond angle of 164" was obtained, in agreement with the conclusions of Bosomworth et ul. (1970). Several groups have performed theoretical calculations for the vibrations of oxygen in Si, reviewed recently by Pajot (1994, 1996). The rich isotopic structure observed experimentally provides an important input to phenomenological models and a critical test for first principles calculations. The recent theoretical model by Yamada-Kaneta et al. (1990), takes full advantage of the isotope data that are available to refine the model of a nearly linear molecule originally proposed by Bosomworth et al. (1970). First principles calculations for interstitial oxygen by Jones et ul. (1992) have given values for the 0 and Si isotope shifts for the antisymmetric stretching mode that are in good agreement with experiment.
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
171
The behavior of oxygen in Ge is similar to that of oxygen in Si discussed in the preceding, but with a more complicated vibrational spectrum (Pajot and Clauws, 1987). A spectrum is shown in Fig.6 for the antisymmetric stretching mode; Ge has 5 isotopes with natural abundances, 70Ge, 21.23%; 72Ge, 27.66%; 73Ge, 7.73%; 74Ge, 35.94%; and 76Ge, 7.44%. The possible combinations of Ge isotopes in a Ge-0-Ge defect molecule give 11 distinct vibrational bands. (Combinations of Ge isotopes with the same average mass for the two Ge atoms have the same frequency, that is, 72Ge-0-74Ge has the same frequency as 73Ge-0-73Ge.)An analysis of the dependence of the vibrational frequencies on the Ge mass with Eq. (5) yielded a Ge-0-Ge bond angle of 2a = 140" (Pajot and Clauws, 1987). Similar to oxygen in Si, there are also thermally populated lines associated with the antisymmetric stretching mode due to coupling with a low-energy excitation. Spectral
Wave number (ern-') FIG. 6. Spectrum of the antisymmetric strctching band of interstitial oxygen in natural Ge. The vibrational bands are labeled by the average mass (in amu) of the two G e atoms in the Ge-0-Ge defect molecule. (From Mayur et al., 1994.)
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MICHAELSTAVOLA
congestion makes a detailed study of the thermally populated bands impractical in natural Ge. Samples containing nearly a single isotope of Ge, that is, 98% 74Ge, led to a great simplification of the oxygen spectrum. Khirunenko rt d.(1990) were able to study the vibrations of 74Ge2160,without interference from the other Ge isotopes. These authors were able to conclude that the thermally populated bands were similar to those observed previously for oxygen in Si and to estimate the energies of the low-frequency rotational levels of the off-axis oxygen impurity that couple to the antisymmetric stretching mode. Mayur et ul. (1994) have performed a detailed study of the antisymmetric oxygen stretching mode in monoisotopic G e crystals grown for several Ge isotopes. These authors have found a Ge-0-Ge bond angle of 2a = 111" from the frequencies of the various isotopically shifted lines and Eq. (5), in reasonable agreement with the previous result of Pajot and Clauws (1987). In the absence of the spectral congestion characteristic of natural Ge, Mayur rt ul. could study the temperature dependence of the hot band intensities in detail. Spectra of the antisymmetric stretching mode of 0 in monoisotopic Ge are shown in Fig.7. A thermally populated band is present even at T = 2.0 K because of the small energy of the oxygen rotational mode. From the temperature dependence of the areas of the thermally populated bands, the energy levels arising from the low-frequency rotational mode, shown in the inset in Fig. 7(b), were determined. In this case, the first excited state has a frequency of only 0.2 meV (1.6 cm- '). The important point illustrated by these studies of oxygcn in Ge is that the ability to engineer the desired
I
300
'
-
"
~
I
'
'
~
~
I
~
T=9.2Kt i t I I v,=l
-
I IIIIIIV
Frequency (cm-1)
FIG. 7. Spectra of the antisymmetric stretching band of interstitial oxygen in monoisotopic "Ge. The rotational energy levels that give rise to the tllermally populated lines are shown in the inset in the T = 9.2 K spectrum. (From Mayur ef d.,1994.)
~
~
3 VIBRATIONALSPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
173
isotopic content of a host crystal permits experiments to be done that would otherwise be impossible.
2. IMPURTIES I N COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTORS Host isotope shifts were first identified for oxygen in Si (Pajot and Deltour, 1967). The availability of comparable data for compound semiconductors (Theis et al., 1982) represented an important advance for the determination of defect structures in these materials. Since that time, the isotope shifts due to first nearest neighbors in compound semiconductors have been used to identify the site of a defect, its symmetry, and configuration. A selection of examples, some classic and a few more recent, that illustrate what can be learned from isotope shifts of the vibrational frequencies are discussed in what follows. Numerous studies of the vibrations of defects in compound semiconductor hosts have been reviewed by Newman (1993). While all of the examples to be discussed in the following will be for local modes, recent progress has been made in studies of host-isotope shifts for gap modes by high resolution spectroscopy. For gap modes, the vibrational amplitude is more delocalized than for local modes [Fig. 2(b)] and hostisotope shifts increase in importance, becoming comparable to the frequency shifts due to the impurity isotopes. The nearest-neighbor isotopic structure for gap modes assigned to As, in G a P (Grosche et al., 1995) and Se2- in ZnS (Sciacca et al., 1996) has been resolved and studied. For BG, in G a P (Robbie et ul., 1996), interactions with next-nearest neighbors ("Ga and "Ga) are shown to affect the gap-mode lineshapes, further demonstrating the greater delocalization of the gap-mode vibrations.
u. Silicon in GuAs The Si dopant has a complicated behavior in GaAs that has been fruitfully studied by vibrational spectroscopy over many years. Spitzer (1971) reviewed early work and Newman (1994) has also written a comprehensive review. At concentrations of less than roughly 1 0 * 8 c i n ~ 3Si, occupies a G a site, SiGa,in stoichiometric GaAs where it acts as a donor. At higher concentrations or in material grown under Ga-rich conditions, Si also occupies an As site, Si,,, where it acts as an acceptor. In addition to these defects, SiGa-SiAspairs and two other Si-containing defects have been identified that affect the compensation condition of the material. Sic, gives rise to a vibrational line at 384cm-' and Si,, gives rise to a band at 399cm-' (Lorimor and Spitzer, 1966). Laithwaite and Newman
MICHAELSTAVOLA
174
(1977) noted that the S i A q band had a greater linewidth than the SiGaband (1.5 cm-' compared to 0.4cni- '), which they explained by the different local environments for SiAS,and hence closely spaced vibrational lines, which would arise from different combinations of naturally abundant Ga isotopes, "Ga (60%) and 71Ga(40%), that make up the first-neighbor shell of an impurity on an As site. An impurity on a Ga site has 75As first neighbors (100% abundant) and gives rise to a single sharp line. Spectra due to SiGa and SiA, measured by Theis et al. (1982) at high resolution (0.06 cm- l ) are shown in Fig. 8. Sics gives rise to a single line whereas several closely spaced lines are partially resolved for SiAs. The observed structure convincingly proves that the 399cm-' band is due to an As-site impurity. Continuing further with Si in GaAs as an example, a vibrational spectrum (Maguire et al., 1987) is shown in Fig. 9 for a heavily Si-doped sample grown by MBE that illustrates the power of vibrational spectroscopy as a method for determining both local structure and quantitative defect concentrations. (The free carrier concentration was reduced prior to the infrared absorption measurements by 2 MeV electron irradiation.) The as-grown sample was found to have a total Si concentration of [Si] = 3.7 x 1019cm-3 by SIMS, but a free electron concentration of 8 x 10'7cm-3. In the spectrum, one sees the line due to 28SiGaand also the shifted lines due to the natural abundance of the isotopes 29SiGaand "SiGa. The 28SiAsband with its characteristic host-isotope structure is seen at 399 cm- ', and SiG,-SiA,pairs
1 ) 1 ) 1 1 1 1 1 ~ " " " " ' 381
303
305
396
390
d
0
WAVENUMBERS (em")
FIG.8. The absorption bands assigned to the local vibrational modes of Si,, (left) and Si,, (right) in GaAs. The spectra were measured at 80 K. (From Theis et al., 1982.)
3 VIBRATIONALSPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES 200.0
I
I
175
I
Wavenumber (cm-')
FIG.9. Absorption spectrum of heavily Si-doped GaAs grown by MBE. The Si concentration determined by SIMS was 3.7 x 10'9cm-3 and the free carrier concentration was 8 x 1017 cm-'. The sample was irradiated by high energy electrons prior to the measurement to eliminate the free carrier absorption. (From Maguire et at., 1987.)
are also present. Additionally, a band labeled Si-X, due to a Si-containing acceptor center whose structure is not well understood, is observed, The calibration factors relating infrared intensity to concentration for the various Si-containing defects have been determined (Newman, 1993; Murray et al., 1989b), allowing one to quantitatively account for the total Si concentration and compensation condition of Si-doped GaAs. Raman spectroscopy has also been used to study heavily Si-doped GaAs. Raman spectra are shown in Fig. 10 for MBE grown GaAs with a total Si concentration, measured by SIMS, of 4 x 1019cm-3 and a free carrier concentration of 5.4 x 1 0 ' * ~ m -(Wagner ~ and Ramsteiner, 1989). The spectrum measured with an incident photon energy of h a , = 3.00 eV shows the line assigned to the 28SiGadonor and also the compensating acceptor centers 28SiAsand Si-X. The Raman measurements have been made with a resolution of 5 cm-' so the nearest-neighbor isotope structure for the SiAs local mode is not resolved. Advantages of Raman spectroscopy for this application are that very thin layers can be studied and that free carrier absorption does not interfere with the measurements. As was noted in Section 11.4, the intensities of the Si-related Raman bands have been calibrated so that quantitative measurements of the concentrations of the different centers can be made (Murray et al., 1989b).
176
MICHAEL
*'Site
STAVOLA
G o A s : Si 5.1 x1018~m-3
I
350
I
I
L 50 R A M A N S H I F T (cm-') LOO
E
FIG.10. Raman spectra of heavily Si-doped GaAs grown by MBE measured at 77 K with different incident laser cnergies. The Si concentration determined by SIMS was 4 x 10'"cm-3 and the frcc carrier concentration was 5.4 x 10'acn---3.A background arising from secondorder phonon scattering was subtracted. (From Wagner and Ramsteiner, 1989.)
Figure I0 also demonstrates the importance of resonance enhancement and the effect that the energy of the exciting light can have on the scattered intensity (Ramsteiner et al., 1988). For hw, = 3.00 eV, Raman scattering from the vibrational modes of both the donor and acceptor centers is resonantly enhanced, whereas for hw, = 2.71 eV, only the acceptor local modes are observed in the spectrum because scattering from the SiGadonors is not enhanced for this lower incident photon energy. The resonant enhancement of the Si-X mode for Zzs, = 2.71 eV further supports the conclusion that it is an acceptor center. b.
Carbon in GuAs
A vibrational band at 582 cm-' was assigned to 12C in GaAs by Newman et LII. (l972), who also observed an isotopically shifted band at 561.2 cmin a sample doped with carbon enriched with " C . From a combination of
'
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHT ELEMENT IMPURITIES 177
chemical analysis, electrical measurements, and vibrational spectroscopy, it was deduced that the C defect giving rise to the 582cm-' band is an acceptor and was therefore assigned to CAs (Brozel et ul., 1978). The assignment of the 582cm-' band to C on an As site was convincingly proved by Theis rt al. (1982), who resolved the isotopic structure due to the Ga first neighbors. Spectra measured with successively higher resolutions are shown in Fig. 11, which illustrate very well the advantage of highresolution Fourier transform spectrometers. Similar results were also obtained by Shanabrook et ul. (1984). Leigh and Newman (1982) assigned the host-isotopic structure for the CAF band to specific first-neighbor configurations (see Fig. 12). The possible configurations are: (i) 69Ga4CAsand 71Ga4CAs,each of which has a sharp triply degenerate vibrational mode; (ii) 69Ga371GaCAs and 69Ga71Ga3CAs, each of which has trigonal symmetry and A, and E modes of vibration; and
Resolution: 0.5 cm-'
Resolution:O.OB cm-'
I
I
I
I
I
582 583 WAVENUMBERS (cm-')
584
FIG. 1 1 . The absorption band assigned to the local vibrational mode of "CA, in GaAs. The spectrum was measured at 80 K with three different resolutions. (From Theis er al., 1982.)
178
MICHAELSTAVOLA
(4.0) 71Ga
(0.4) 69Ga
FIG. 12. The nine components of the local vibrational mode band assigned to 12C,, in GaAs. The individual lines have been assigned to the different combinations of ""a and "Cia first neighbors that are shown. The heights of the lines are proportional to their intensities. (From Murray and Newman, 1989.)
(iii) "Ga,71Ga,C,,, with C , , symmetry and B,, B, and A, modes of vibration. Altogether, there should be nine vibrational lines. Several are very close together (Fig. 12), consistent with the five distinct lines that are resolved experimentally. The agreement of the measured and calculated line positions confirm that the CAsimpurity has four equivalent Ga neighbors. In recent work, Leigh et ul. (1994) have applied harmonic models for the host isotope structure to higher-resolution data and conclude that anharmonicity affects the line positions. Unlike the Si impurity in GaAs, no evidence has been found by vibrational spectroscopy for a CGadonor (Davidson et ul., 1993), even for the very high carbon concentrations that have been attained by epitaxial crystal growth from metallorganic precursors (Abernathy, 1996). However, carbon complexes form upon annealing heavily carbon-doped GaAs and give rise to vibrational modes that have been studied by Raman spectroscopy (Wagner et al., 1997).
c.
Substitutional Impurities in II- VI Semiconductors
The richly structured vibrational line shapes of several impurities studied in 11-VI semiconductors will be discussed as further examples of nearest-
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
179
neighbor isotopic structure. Early work on impurity vibrations in 11-VI hosts has been reviewed by Barker and Sievers (1975). High-resolution vibrational spectra of Mg2+,C a Z + ,S 2 - , and 3d transition metals in CdTe, ZnTe, and CdSe have been reported (Sciacca et al., 1995,1996; Mayur et a/., 1996). Sciacca et a / . (1995) cite previous work in 11-VI hosts. Spectra for CdTe doped with Ca are shown in Fig. 13. The inset shows a lower resolution spectrum in which the vibrational modes of the naturally
Wave number (em-') FIG. 13. The absorption band assigned to the 40Ca local mode in CdTe along with the simulated spectrum. The spectrum was measured at 2.0K with a resolution of 0.02cm-'. The inset shows a lower resolution spectrum (0.5cm- ') of the local modes assigned to the three Ca isotopes. (From Sciacca et a/., 1996.)
180
MICHAEL STAVOLA
abundant 44Ca (2.086%) and ,'Ca (0.647%) isotopes are shown, confirming the assignment of the strong line at 210.6cm-' to ,'Ca (96.941%). The high-resolution (0.02 cm- ') spectrum for the ,'Ca local mode shown in Fig. 13 has a complicated structure that has been attributed to the frequency shifts that result from the isotopes of the four Te nearest neighbors that surround the Ca impurity substituting on a Cd site in the zinc blende structure. The eight isotopes of Te lead to 330 distinct combinations of CaTe, "defect molecules" when the different possible combinations of isotopes for the four Te neighbors are distinguished. Sciacca et a1. (1996) have calculated the normal mode frequencies for each of the CaTe, defect molecules, and summed these, weighted by their appropriate abundances, to simulate the vibrational line shape. Their calculated result is also shown in Fig. 13, and is in excellent agreement with the experimental line shape and confirms the site assignment of the impurity. Similar results have been obtained for ,'Ti in CdTe and ',Mg in ZnTe, where both of these impurities also substitute for the group I1 host atom. High-resolution spectra also show host-isotope structure for the 25Mglocal mode in CdSe, which has the hexagonal wurtzite structure (Sciacca et al., 1996).
The determination of the structure and properties of oxygen centers in GaAs provides another good example of how much can be learned from neighbor isotope shifts. A recent review has been written by Skowronski (1992). An oxygen-related center was first identified in GaAs by Akkerman et al. (1976), who observed a vibrational band at 836 cm- (room temperature) in GaAs containing l60and a shifted band at 790cm-' in a sample containing "0. The ratio of these frequencies is close to [m('80)/m(160)]1/2, confirming that this is an oxygen vibration. Roughly ten years later, two additional bands near 730 and 715 cm- ' were discovered and labeled A and B, respectively (Song ef al., 1987). It was suggested that these bands were also due to oxygen (Zhong et al., 1988; Zhong, 1991) because of their high frequency. The bands at 730 and 715cm-' both showed a triplet fine structure, which led Zhong rt aI. (1988) to propose that oxygen occupies an As-site where it is bound to two G a neighbors in an off-center position [see Fig. 14(a)]. For oxygen bonded to two G a neighbors, there can be three combinations of nearest-neighbor isotopes, 71Ga-0-71Ga,69Ga-O-71Ca, and 6'Ga-O-h9Ga. The natural abundances of the 69Ga (60%) and 71Ga (40%) isotopes gives relative concentrations of 0.16:0.48:0.36 for the three possible combinations of the G a isotopes, in good agreement with the relative intensities of the triplet components of the 730 and 715 cm-' lines.
'
n
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
W
4
5
181
FIG. 14. Vibrational spectra measured at 4.2 K with 0.1 cm- resolution of (a) the off-center, substitutional oxygen complex in GaAs and (b) interstitial oxygen in GaAs. The structures of the defects are shown In the insets. (From Schneider et al., 1989.)
182
MICHAELSTAVOLA
This structure of the substitutional oxygen center in GaAs is very similar to the structure of the well-known A-center or oxygen-vacancy complex in Si (Watkins and Corbett, 1961; Corbett et al., 1961). Photo- and thermally induced changes of the relative intensities of bands A and B were also reported by Song et al. (1987). Work by Schneider et al. (1989) confirmed and completed the picture of the structures of the oxygen centers. The band seen by Akkerman et al. (1976) at 830 cm- was observed to be shifted to near 845 cm- [Fig. 14(b)] at 4.2 K. For GaAs containing "0, the corresponding band was observed at 802cm-'. The high resolution spectrum in Fig. 14(b) shows that the 845cm-I band is split into a closely spaced pair of lines with relative intensities consistent with the natural abundances of "Ga and 71Ga. This nearest-neighbor fine structure is consistent with oxygen in an interstitial position where it is bonded to a single G a atom. [See the inset in Fig. 14(b).] This structure is similar to that of interstitial oxygen in Si or Ge discussed in Section 111.1. Schneider et (11. (1989) also showed that the 715cm-' band is shifted to 679cm-' upon substitution of l80for l 6 0 , confirming the previous suggestion that this band was due to oxygen. These authors also observed the triplet structure in high-resolution spectra [Fig. 14(a)], confirming the assignment to oxygen that is bonded to two Ga neighbors, with an off-center, substitutional structure. Subscquent studies confirmed and expanded upon the photo- and thermally induced transformations of bands A and B reported by Song et al. (1987) and a new band, B', was discovered. Altogether, there are three vibrational bands due to different charge states of substitutional oxygen with frequencies near 730.6 (A), 714.2 (B'), and 714.9 (B) c n - ' , all of which show the triplet fine structure (Alt, 1989). Studies of the optical and thermal conversion of the center between its charge states led to the conclusions that these bands correspond to charge states with zero (band A), one (band B') and two bound electrons (band B), and that substitutional oxygen is a negative-U defect (Alt, 1990; Skowronski et al., 1990; Skowronski, 1992). For a negative-U defect, the second bound electron has a greater binding energy than the first, making the charge state with just one bound electron metastable (Watkins, 1984). Thus configuration B' of substitutional oxygen can only be observed following photoexcitation at low temperature. The multiple charge states of 0 in GaAs have been studied theoretically by Jones and Oberg (1992), who have performed local-density cluster calculations. , These authors assign the A, B', and B bands to 0-, 02-,and 0 3 -with 0'- being the metastable charge state. A discussion of the negative-U properties of substitutional oxygen in GaAs is beyond the scope of this chapter. However, it is important to note that the optically and thermally induced conversions from one charge state to another and the negative-U
'
'
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
183
properties were determined entirely from the oxygen local vibrational modes and the shift in the vibrational frequency that results from a change of charge state. 3. DEFECT COMPLEXES The preceding examples illustrate how detailed structural information is provided by the impurity- and host-isotope shifts observed in local mode spectra. Still, these examples have all involved only a single impurity and its neighboring host atoms. Numerous defect complexes that include several impurities and/or native defects have been studied, and isotope shifts have played an important role in identifying these complexes and determining their structures (Newman, 1973, 1993; Barker and Sievers, 1975). Here, only a few hydrogen-containing defect complexes will be discussed as examples. The hydrogen-passivated Sics and CAsdopants in GaAs will be treated first. These complexes have been chosen because the vibrations of both the hydrogen and the dopant atom have been studied, and the structures of the complexes are typical of other hydrogenated donors and acceptors in semiconductors. The remaining centers to be discussed are H, in Si or GaAs, and Hf in Si as examples of defects that contain more than one atom of the same element. Both H, and HT show interesting isotope effects, which help lead to the identification of their vibrational modes. There have been earlier studies of isotopic substitutions for defect complexes that contain more than one atom of the same element, a good example being the work on Li complexes in GaAs performed by Levy and Spitzer (1973) [reviewed by Barker and Sievers (1975)l.
a. Dopunt-Hydrogen Complexes Hydrogen is introduced easily into semiconductors, either intentionally or accidentally, where it can form complexes with donor or acceptor impurities (Pankove and Johnson, 1991; Pearton et ul., 1992; Pearton, 1994; Chevallier, 1996). The hydrogenated dopants are often electrically inactive and nonparamagnetic, and are therefore difficult to study by many of the typical structure-sensitive techniques. Vibrational spectroscopy, which works especially well for the light hydrogen atom because the vibrational frequencies are high, has been one of the primary methods used to determine the structures of hydrogen-containing complexes in semiconductors (Stavola and Pearton, 1991, Pearton et al., 1992; Chevallier et al., 1991; Pajot et uL, 1991; Stavola, 1994).
184
MICHAEL STAVOLA
SiG,-H in GaAs. An excellent example of a hydrogenated dopant whose structure was determined from its vibrational properties is provided by the SiGd-Hcomplex in GaAs whose H-stretching spectrum is shown in Fig. 15 (Pajot et a!., 1988a). The sample was an n-type GaAs:SiG, epitaxial layer with a Si concentration of about 3 x 10l8 c m P 3 that had been exposed to a hydrogen (or deuterium) plasma. Following hydrogenation, the free electron concentration was reduced to 10'' cm- 3, that is, the Sica donors were passivated. The strong band at 1717.3cm-' has been assigned to the longitudinal hydrogen-stretching mode (A I ) of the trigonal 28SiCd-Hcomplex shown in the inset. In this model, the H sits at an antibonding site, bonded directly to the Si,, donor. The two sidebands to the low-energy side of the 1717.3 cm-' line have relative intensities consistent with the natural abundances of "Si and 30Si and been assigned to the 2YSiG,-Hand 30SiGa-H complexes. The presence of these sidebands indicates that the hydrogen atom is bonded to the SiGa donor. In addition to the hydrogenstretching mode, the doubly degenerate hydrogen-wagging mode (E) of the complex has also been observed at 896.8 cm- There are corresponding deuterium modes for both the hydrogen-stretching and hydrogen-wagging bands, shifted to lower frequency by a factor of approximately (1/2)Il2, showing unambiguously that these are hydrogen vibrations. The frequencies of the hydrogen-stretching modes are given in Table 11.
'.
I . r I
E 400 u
v
u
C
.-0
5
0
0
*C
200
.-0 Y
Q
i
a (0
0 1715.4
1716.4 1717.4 Frequency (cm -1)
1718.4
FIG. 15. Infrared absorption spectra measured at liquid H e temperature for the hydrogenstretching mode of the Si,,-H complex in GaAs. (From Pajot et ul., 1988a.)
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
185
TABLE I1 FREQUENCIES (cm-') OF THE HYDROGEN-STRETCHING MODESOF SiG;H (pajot et a/,, 1988a) AND C,,-H (Davidson et ul., 1993) COMPLEXES IN GaAs FOR DIFFERENT Si, C, AND HYI~ROGENISOTOPES
Complex
Frequency
"Si-H "SSi-H "Si-H "SI-D 29Si-D "C-H I3C-H "C-D "C-D
1717.25 1716.89 1716.53 1247.61 1247.08 2635.2 2628.5 1968.6 1958.3
A vibrational mode of the Si atom in the SiG,-H complex has also been observed (Pajot et ul., 1988a). Upon exposure of a SiGadoped sample to a hydrogen plasma, the intensity of the 384 cm-' band due to the isolated Sic, donor was reduced, and a new vibrational band appeared at 409.95 cm-'. Upon the substitution of D for H, this Si mode is shifted to 409.45cm-', confirming that the 409.9cm-' band is due to the SiGadonor bonded to hydrogen. The experimental vibrational frequencies have provided a benchmark for theoretical calculations that have been performed for the SiG,-H complex by several groups, all of whom found that the structure shown in the inset in Fig. 15 has lowest energy (Briddon and Jones, 1990; Pavesi and Giannozzi, 1991; Chang, 1991). These groups all calculate vibrational frequencies that are in good agreement with the experimental values. A new result from the theoretical studies is that the Si atom was found to relax along the trigonal axis of the complex toward the hydrogen atom, resulting in a weak Si-As bond.
CA,v-Hin GaAs. Numerous examples of acceptor-hydrogen complexes have been studied in elemental and compound semiconductors. In most cases, the hydrogen occupies a bond-centered position between the acceptor and one of its nearest neighbors. A particularly interesting example is the hydrogen passivation of the CAsacceptor in GaAs. Clerjaud et uI. (1987, 1991) discovered several sharp absorption lines with frequencies above 2000cm-' in as-grown, bulk GaAs, InP, and G a P
186
MICHAELSTAVOLA
crystals. These lines were all assigned to hydrogen-vibrational modes because of their high frequency. Identification of the hydrogen-containing defects was challenging because the hydrogen and the impurities to which it was attached were introduced unintentionally. Clerjaud et al. (1990, 1991) were able to assign a line at 2635.1 cm-', observed in LEC-grown p-type GaAs, to a 12CAs-Hcomplex from the observation of a weak additional line at 2628.4cm-' that they assigned to the 13CAs-Hcomplex (Fig. 16). The weaker band has an intensity consistent with the natural abundance of 13C (1.lo%)and the frequency shift is consistent with the mass of the heavier carbon isotope. The structure of the CAs-H complex, with the H atom bonded primarily to the CAsatom, is shown in the inset in Fig. 16.
I
J
p-typeLEC GaAs 1%-H
0.8, n I
f
- 0.6Q)
u c
tu
2 a
P
0.4,
0.2 1%-H
0,.
.
.
,
J
,
2630
,
,
.
,
I
I
I
2635
Frequency (cm-1) FIG. 16. Inlrared absorption spectrum measured near liquid He temperature for the C,,-H complex in GaAs. Both "C- and I3C-related modes are observed. The bond-centered structure of the complex is shown in the inset. (From Clerjaud el a/., 1990.)
3
VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF
LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
187
Carbon has become an attractive p-type dopant for epitaxial GaAs and related alloys and can be incorporated at concentrations up to 1021cm-3 in epitaxial GaAs grown by metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or metallorganic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE) (Abernathy, 1996). In some cases, roughly 50% of the CAsacceptors are unintentionally passivated during crystal growth because hydrogen is readily available in the growth environment. The vibrations of CA,-H complexes have been detected by several groups in as-grown GaAs epitaxial layers (Kozuch et al., 1990, 1993; Woodhouse et al., 1992; Wagner et al., 1992). Thus, the vibrational spectroscopy of CA,-H complexes has attracted much attention. For the 12CA,-Hcomplex, there will be four local vibrational modes that are shown in Fig. 17 (Davidson et al., 1993; Jones et al., 1994; Wagner et al., 1995). There is the high-frequency H-stretching mode already discussed here (A; in Fig. 17), a low-frequency mode in which the C and H move in phase as a unit along the trigonal axis (At), and two transverse E modes (E- and E'). All of these local vibrational modes have been observed and assigned for 12CAs-H,l3CA3-H,"CA,-D, and 1 3 C A 5 - D in a very nice series of infrared absorption and Raman spectroscopy studies, providing an especially complete picture of the vibrational modes of C-H complexes in
pca b
/
As
6
A1- (stretch) Ai+
(X)
Ga
--
-+
E- (Yz)
t
i
E+ (Yi)
. f t
FIG. 17. Structure of the CA,-H complex in GaAs shown with the complex's vibrational modes. (From Wagner er al., 1995.)
188
MICHAELSTAVOLA
GaAs (Davidson et al., 1993; Wagner et ul., 1995). The hydrogen- and deuterium-stretching frequencies for the different carbon isotopes are listed in TableII. The experimental frequencies are in good agreement with theoretical calculations by Jones et ul. (1994). The studies of CA,-H complexes in GaAs, beginning with the work of Clerjaud et al. (1990), nicely demonstrate the use of vibrational spectroscopy as a probe of unintentional hydrogen passivation of dopants in semiconductors. And the isotopic frequency shifts that result from the substitution of I3C for 12C have played an essential role in the assignment of the local vibrational modes. b. H , und HT Isolated hydrogen in semiconductors is mobile at low temperatures [for example, near 200 K in Si (Gorelkinskii and Nevinnyi, 1991; Holm et a/., 1991)] so at room temperature, H in semiconductors is bonded to other defects or present in the form of H, aggregates. The complexes of hydrogen with various impurities and defects give rise to vibrational bands that have been studied over a number of years, as was already discussed here . The smallest H, aggregates involve just two hydrogen atoms. Two possible di-hydrogen defects have been considered theoretically, but were not observed spectroscopically until recently. The first is the hydrogen molecule H, that has been predicted to lie at a tetrahedral interstitial site in Si or GaAs (Chang and Chadi, 1989b; Van de Walle et al.; 1989, Estreicher et a/., 1994; Pavesi and Giannozzi, 1992; Breuer et al., 1996). Molecular hydrogen has often been invoked as the product of reactions that release hydrogen from other defect complexes. The second is a species that has been named HZ (Bridden et ul., 1988; Chang and Chadi, 1989a). Vibrational spectra for H, and H: will be discussed in what follows. H , in Si or GaAs. An isolated H, molecule has inversion symmetry and therefore its stretching vibration is infrared inactive because it does not give rise to an oscillating dipole moment. This is the reason why H, has been thought to be difficult to observe in semiconductor hosts. However, Raman spectroscopy can be used to study the stretching vibration of an H, molecule, illustrating its use as a technique complementary to infrared absorption spectroscopy. In exciting recent work, vibrational spectra due to H, in GaAs and Si have been discovered. These direct observations of H, confirm the long standing hypothesis that molecular hydrogen is an important, and often present, species in semiconductors (Pearton et al., 1992; Pankove and Johnson, 1991).
3 VIBRATIONALSPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
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H, molecules were observed in plasma-treated GaAs by Vetterhoffer et al. (1996) in Raman measurements made at liquid N, temperature. The vibrational bands of H, (3934.1 crn-') and D, (2842.6cm-') are shown in the spectra in Fig. 18. In this study, hydrogen and deuterium were also introduced together so that the stretching vibration of the H D complex was also observed (3446.5 cm- I), unambiguously confirming that two hydrogen atoms are involved in the complex. The frequency of the vibrational band is consistent with the reduced mass of the H D molecule. Furthermore, the results for H, in GaAs show evidence for the two possible nuclear spin states of a homonuclear diatomic molecule (Vetterhoffer et al., 1996). The two hydrogen atoms in H, each have nuclear spin 4. The two hydrogen atoms can have parallel nuclear spins to give a total nuclear spin of I = 1 (orthohydrogen), or antiparallel nuclear spins to give I = 0 (parahydrogen). The total nuclear wavefunction must be antisymmetric upon exchange of the identical hydrogen nuclei, therefore the symmetric nuclear spin wavefunction of orthohydrogen requires that the rotational wavefunction be antisymmetric. Thus the lowest allowed rotational state for orthohydrogen has J = I. Similarly, for parahydrogen, the lowest allowed rotational state has J = 0 because the nuclear spin wavefunction is antisymmetric. At elevated temperature, the nuclear spin states are equally populated, so the ratio of ortho- to para-hydrogen is 3:1, consistent with the
H2
-
c .c
v)
(a) HZplasma I
.
.
*
f
1
FIG. 18. Raman spcctra measured at 77 K for (a) semi-insulating GaAs treated in an H, plasma for 8 h at T = 254°C (b) low-temperature GaAs treated in a D, plasma for 3 h at T = 200 'C, and (c) low-temperature GaAs treated in a 50% H,/50% D, plasma for 8 h. Residual laser plasma lines are marked with asterisks (*). (From Vetterhoffer et a/., 1996.)
190
MICHAELSTAVOL.A
degeneracies of the nuclear spin states. A t low temperatures, the conversion of orthohydrogen to the lower energy para configuration requires a forbidden nuclear spin flip and proceeds very slowly. The H, stretching band in GaAs was observed to be split into two lines (VetterhofTer et a[., 1996). This splitting was assigned to the vibrations of ortho- and para-hydrogen which are slightly different because of rovibrational coupling, further confirming the assignment to a molecular-like H, species in the solid. The intensities of the split lines were consistent with the 3: I ratio expected for ortho- to para-configurations at room temperature. (Conversion to the lower energy parahydrogen state at the measurement temperature was presumed to be slow.) Splittings for D, (the deuterium nucleus has spin 1) were not resolved. In an independent Raman study performed by Murakami et al. (1996), a broad vibrational band was observed at 4158 cm- at room temperature for Si samples treated in a hydrogen plasma at 400°C. When Si samples were exposed to a deuterium plasma, a band at 2990cm-' was observed. These vibrational frequencies are close to those observed previously for H, and D, in gas, liquid and solid phases, and led to the assignment of the 4158 and 2990cm-' bands to H, and D, at tetrahedral interstitial sites in Si. Subsequent studies have contested the assignment of the 4158 cm-' band to isolated H, at an interstitial site in Si. Exposure of a Si sample to a hydrogen plasma can give rise to extended platelet defects (Johnson et al., 1987). Leitch et ul. (1998, 1998b) have found that the 4158cm-' band has the same annealing behavior as Raman bands near 2100 cm- assigned previously to hydrogen-platelet defects (Johnson et al., 1987; Heyman et ul., 1992) and proposed that the 4158cm-' band is due to H, gas molecules trapped in the platelets. Leitch et al. (1998b) have assigned a new Raman band at 3618 cm-' (10 K) to an isolated H, molecule that was produced in Si by plasma exposure at 150°C. These authors propose that H, molecules are immobile at 150°C and can be produced in isolated form at this temperature whereas for higher plasma exposure temperatures the H, molecules can migrate and become trapped in platelet defects. Theoretical calculations performed for H, at a tetrahedral interstitial site in Si find that the H, stretching frequency should be shifted to a value lower than the gas phase value by more than 500 crn- (Hourahine et ul., 1997, 1998; Van de Walle, 1998). These results support the assignment by Leitch et al. (1998b) of the 3618 cm-' band to isolated H, and also the assignment of the 4158 cm-' band seen by Murakami et al. (1996) to H, molecules that have aggregated in extended defects created by the hydrogen plasma exposure. Surprisingly, infrared absorption lines have also been observed independently by Pritchard et a/. (1997) for interstitial H, and D, in Si. For these
'
'
'
3
VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF
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191
experiments the hydrogen was introduced by annealing Si at elevated temperatures (1000 < T < 1300°C) in H, gas. Two lines at 3789 and 3731 cm-' were assigned to H, molecules trapped in the vicinity of interstitial 0 impurities and a third line at 3618cm-' was also reported. The 3618cm-' line was subsequently assigned to H, at an interstitial site (Pritchard et al., 1998) in agreement with the Raman study of Leitch et al. (1998b). A line due to HD was also observed at 3264.8 cm-' t o confirm the presence of two hydrogen atoms in the defect (Pritchard et at., 1997). The vibrational absorption bands associated with H, are roughly 100 times smaller than would be expected for an allowed local vibrational mode. The presence of a weak vibrational absorption line for the H, defect has led to the conclusion that the H, lies along a lattice direction that removes the inversion symmetry of the molecule (Pritchard et ul., 1998; Hourahine et al., 1998). In the Raman and infrared absorption studies of H, in Si, no splittings of the vibrational lines due to ortho- and para-hydrogen were observed leading to the conclusion that the H, molecule does not freely rotate in Si at low temperature (Hourahine et ul., 1998). HT in Si. An alternative configuration for a di-hydrogen defect named
H f has been examined in several theoretical calculations (Chang and Chadi, 1989a, 1989b; Van de Walle, 1994; Estreicher et al., 1994). The H f defect in Si has been predicted to consist of one hydrogen atom at a bond-centered site between two Si neighbors and a second hydrogen atom bonded to one of these Si neighbors at an antibonding site (Fig. 19).
FIG. 19. Structure of the H f defect in Si. (From Holbech rr a/., 1993.)
192
MICHAEL STAVOLA
It has been known since 1975 (Stein, 1975) that implanting protons into Si gives rise to numerous hydrogen-related vibrational absorption bands. Recently, several of these bands have been assigned to the H: defect (Holbech et a/., 1993). A n infrared absorption spectrum, of proton implanted Si is shown in Fig.20. From a comparison of the experimental frequencies to a theoretical calculation for HT, the bands at 2062 and 1838 cm-' have been assigned to the stretching modes of hydrogen atoms at the bond-centered and antibonding sites, respectively. The line at 817 cm-' has been assigned to the wagging mode of the hydrogen atom at the antibonding site and the 1599cm-' band has been assigned to be the overtone of the 817 cm-l mode. The vibrations of the two hydrogen atoms in the HT center are weakly coupled. The spectrum of a sample implanted with both H and D (Fig. 20) shows new H-stretching bands at 2058 and 1852cm-' assigned to the HD* center (Holbech et a/., 1993). An HD* center can have H at the bondcentered site and D at the antibonding site, or vice versa. The shifts of the frequencies of the vibrational modes compared to those of H2: occur because the large difference in the H and D masses causes the vibrations of the H and D atoms to be decoupled. Similar considerations apply to a comparison of the D-stretching modes of DZ and HD*. The frequencies of HD* are also in agreement with theoretical calculations for this center. Similar results to those described in the preceding for H: in Si have also been obtained for an H: center in Ce, showing that it has a similar structure and vibrational properties (Budde et a/., 1996). The results of vibrational spectroscopy establish that it is the weakly coupled vibrational modes of a center that contain two inequivalent hydrogen atoms that are observed for HT. For a complex with two equivalent hydrogen sites, there would have been only one new hydrogen mode for a
817 1838
I
I
A
n
SI: H+D
SI:H
-
1860 2050
207C
frequency (cm-')
FIG. 20. Vibrational bands assigned to hydrogen modes of Hf (lower spcctrd) and HD* (upper spectra) in Si implanted with H + and/or D'. (From Holbech et ul., 1993.)
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
193
complex containing H and D. [This is the case for the PtH, center in Si where the two hydrogen atoms are equivalent (Uftring et al., 1995).]
V. Anharmonicity
Up to this point in this chapter, the anharmonicity of the local mode vibrations has been neglected. Anharmonicity has a number of important effects on local mode spectra: (i) overtone and combination modes are made weakly allowed; (ii) the frequencies of the vibrational modes are modified; and (iii) near-lying vibrational modes can interact. Here, anharmonicity will be discussed in an elementary fashion and a few examples will be given along with references to treatments in the literature. Elliot et a/. (1965) considered the effect of anharmonic terms in the potential in which a light impurity vibrates to explain the fundamental and higher harmonic frequencies of H- and D- ions in the alkaline earth fluorides. For a site with tetrahedral symmetry, the potential becomes V ( T J = +k(x2
+ y 2 + 2)+ B(xyz) + D,(x4 + y" + z") + D,(y2z2 + z2x2+ xZyz)+ - .
(6)
when cubic and quartic terms are included. Here k is the force constant for the harmonic term in the potential and B, D , and D , are parameters. To determine the vibrational energy levels, the effect of the cubic term was included to second order in perturbation theory and the quartic terms were included to first order. The energy levels and allowed optical transitions for several low-lying states are shown in Fig. 21. The energy-level structure and selection rules provide information about the symmetry of the defect site. For example, Elliot et al. (1965) determined that H - occupies a site with & symmetry and not 0, symmetry in the alkaline earth fluorides from fundamental and overtone absorption data. The potentials, including anharmonic terms through quartic, have been determined for various site symmetries and the energy levels have been calculated with perturbation theory (Newman, 1973). For semiconductor hosts, there are a few examples where the fundamental and overtone absorption lines for local vibrational modes have been observed and detailed analyses of the data have been performed (Hayes and Spray, 1969; Manabe et al., 1973; Sciacca et al., 1995; McCluskey et al., 1996; Alt, 1995; Leigh and Sangster, 1996). It is known that the intensities of the overtone absorption lines cannot be reliably predicted from the anharmonicity parameters determined from the frequencies of the transitions (Elliot et a/., 1965; Newman, 1973; Fowler et
194
MICHAELSTAVOLA
2
1
0
rl
Fici. 21. The lower vibrational energy levels of a substitutional impurity at a site with T, symmetry. The vibrational quantum numbers and symmetries of the levels are shown on the left.
ul., 1991). Electrical anharmonicity is the commonly given explanation, that is, the electric dipole moment of the defect is not a linear function of the mode displacement coordinate as is typically assumed to determine the intensity of vibrational transitions. In the following, the effects of anharmonicity on the vibrational modes of a few defects will be discussed. In Section 1V.1, one-dimensional models that have been used to treat the anharmonicity of the hydrogen vibrations of hydrogen-containing complexes in semiconductors will be reviewed. In Section IV.2, the discussion of the vibrational modes of oxygen in Si begun in Section 111.1 is continued. Recent studies of a combination mode provides information about the symmetric stretching mode of oxygen, for which the fundamental has not been observed. In Section IV.3, the anharmonic interaction between near-lying vibrational modes (Fermi resonance) is used to explain the observation of an “extra” hydrogen mode of the donor-H complexes in Si.
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
195
1. ONE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS FOR HYDROGEN-CONTAINING COMPLEXES In cases where the vibrational modes are well separated, a mode may be treated as that of a one-dimensional anharmonic oscillator. One-dimensional models have been applied to hydrogen-containing defects in semiconductors where the anharmonicity is expected to be important because the vibrational amplitude of the light hydrogen atom is large. u.
Perturbation Theory Treatment
Newman (1990b, 1991) has written the one-dimensional potential in which an impurity vibrates as V ( Z )= &kz2+ flz3
+ yz4
(7)
The effects of the cubic and quartic terms were calculated with second- and first-order perturbation theory, respectively. The fundamental frequency w is given by
where w,, is the harmonic frequency, that is, the frequency of vibration if there were no anharmonicity. Here m is the mass of the vibrating atom in amu, and B is a parameter. If the second harmonic transition is also observed, then the anharmonic shift B/m can be determined from the equation 2w
-
wZnd= B/m
(9)
[Perturbation theory gives a second harmonic frequency of WZnd = 2w, 3B/m2 for the anharmonic potential, leading to Eq. (9) (Newman, 1990).] Newman (1990, 1991) noticed that the isotope shift observed for the hydrogen-stretching vibrations of dopant-H complexes leads to inconsistent results and attributed this inconsistency to the neglect of anharmonicity for the hydrogen modes. The ratio of the vibrational frequencies for the isotopic substitutions rn"' for m or M$) for M , can be determined from Eq. (4) and written as
196
MICHAELSTAVOLA
An implicit assumption being made in Eq. (10) is that the vibrational modes are harmonic. For the 28Si,,-H complex discussed in Section 111.3, the hydrogen stretching frequency is observed at 1717.25 cm-' (Table 11). The isotopic substitution 2'Si for 28Si shifts the hydrogen-stretching frequency to 1716.89 cm-'. Similarly, the substitution 30Si for "Si shifts the hydrogenstretching frequency to 1716.53cm-'. These shifts and Eq. (10) lead to a value of X = 2.8. Equation (10) then predicts a frequency ratio for the substitution of D for H of w(H)/w(D) = 1.4053, rather than the ratio, w(H)/o>(D)= 1717.25/1247.61 = 1.3764 that is observed experimentally. Newman explained this apparent contradiction by including the effect of the anharmonicity of the hydrogen-stretching modes on the frequency ratio w(EZ)/a)(D).From Eq. (8), the ratio of the harmonic frequencies would be given by
where (11 is the experimentally observed frequency and w,, is the harmonic frequency. The observed frequency ratio will be reduced from its harmonic value because the anharmonic shift is proportional to the inverse of the oscillator mass rather than to the square root of the inverse mass. It is this ratio of harmonic frequencies, Eq. (1 I), that is determined by Eq. (10). Thus if X can be determined, in this case from the effect of Sic,, isotopic substitutions, then Eqs. (10) and (11) can be used to determine the anharmonic shift B/m for the hydrogen-vibrational mode. For SiG,-H in GaAs, Newman (1990, 1991) has found that the values X = 2.8 and B / m , = 121 cm-' lead to consistent results for the observed Si and hydrogen isotope shifts of the hydrogen-stretching mode. Data for the carbon and hydrogen isotope shifts of the H-stretching frequency have been measured for the CA,-H complex in GaAs (TableII) and the anharmonicity parameter has been estimated (Davidson et nl., 1993), similar to the SiG,-H complex just discussed. In this case a value of X = 1.1 is determined from the frequency shifts of the H - and D-stretching modes of CA,-H and CA,-D complexes that result from the isotopic substitution for "C. This value of X and Eq.(lO) lead to a harmonic frequency ratio for the hydrogen-stretching mode o,,(H)/w,(D) = 1.367, which is again larger than the experimentally observed value of w(H)/ w ( D ) = 2635.2/1968.6 = 1.339. These results and Eq. ( 1 1) lead to an anharmonic shift for the hydrogen-stretching mode of the CA,-H complex of B/m, = 176 cm (Davidson et a/., 1993). Data for isotopic substitutions of both the dopant and hydrogen atoms
'
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
197
are not available for most dopant-hydrogen complexes, as they are for the SiG,-H and CA,-H complexes already discussed here. Newman (1990, 1991) has estimated a lower limit for the anharmonicity parameters for the hydrogen-stretching vibrations of a variety of dopant-H complexes and finds values of B/m of the order of 100cm-’. b.
Morse Oscillator
An alternative approach is to use the Morse potential (Morse, 1929) to describe the anharmonicity of the local mode vibrations of crystal defects (Fowler et al., 1991; Darwich et al., 1993). The Morse potential is written as V ( z - z,) = De{exp[-2a(z
- ze)] - 2 exp[a(z - z,)]]
(12)
where z, is the equilibrium value of the vibrational coordinate z, and x and D , are parameters. The Schrodinger equation can be solved exactly for the Morse potential to give the vibrational frequencies
w(n) = w,(n
+ f)- w,x,(n +
+)Z
(13)
where we = .(hD,/ncp)”’ w,x, = ha2/(4ncl*)
and p is the reduced mass. In this case, the observed fundamental frequency is given by 0 = w, - 2w,x,
(15)
and the second harmonic frequency is given by
The quantity w,x, is known as the anharmonicity constant. Comparing these equations to Eqs. (8) and (9), it can be seen that 2w,x, plays the same role here as B/m does in the perturbation theory treatment already discussed here. For the Morse potential, the intensities of the second harmonic and fundamental absorption lines have a ratio of 12/11 x,. It is known for the
-
198
MICHAEL STAVOLA
vibrational modes of molecules and defects in solids that the intensities of the overtone absorption lines are not reliably predicted from the value of x, determined from the line positions. Fowler et al. (1991) have calculated the dipole moment matrix elements for vibrational transitions with Morse wavefunctions and a nonlinear dipole-moment function that could either be (i) matched to a calculated dipole-moment function or (ii) parameterized to fit experimental data. A numerical scheme based on these methods has also been developed to explore the intensities of overtone absorption lines (Woll and Fowler, 1993). These models have been applied to OH- in insulators and could be applied equally well to local vibrational modes in semiconductors. Darwich et al. (1993) have observed the second harmonic transitions of several acceptor-hydrogen complexes in GaAs and InP. For these complexes, the acceptor atom occupies a group I11 atom site and the H is believed to be bonded more strongly to one of the acceptor's As or P nearest neighbors. Thus the vibrational modes are primarily the vibrations of the As-H or P-H bonds. These authors have used the results for the Morse potential to analyze their data and determine the anharmonicity parameters. The frequencies and relative intensities of the first and second harmonic transitions are given in Table I11 along with the anharmonicity parameters 2o,x, and x,. The anharmonicity parameter 2o,x, has values close (Le., only -25% smaller) to the values of B / m estimated by Newman (1990, 1991) from the isotope dependencies of the fundamental frequencies. Further, x, is similar to the values found for As-H and P-H bonds in gas-phase molecules. The data in Table 111 show that the observed values of I J l 1 are roughly three times smaller than the value estimated for the Morse potential, 12/11 x,. The difference between the observed and predicted second harmonic intensities has been ascribed to electrical anharmonicity (Darwich
-
TABLE 111
THE:FREQUENCIES ANI) RELAIIVE INTENSITIES OF THh FIRST AND SEC'OND HARMONIC TRANSITIONS FOR SEVERAL ACCEPTOR-HYDROGTN COMPLEXES IN G a A S AND InP (Darwich et a / , 1993). THE PARAMETERS ~w,Y, AND x, ARE A MEASURF OF THE ANHARMONICITY OF THE VIBRATION
GaAs:ZnG,-H InP: Zn,,-H Zn,,-D Cd,,-H
2W,X,
(3
W2"d
(cm- I )
(cm- I )
(cm - I )
x,
I 2 l I1
2146.94 2287.70 1664.52 2332.43
4216.7 4487.80 3283.34 4580.20
77.18 87.60 45.70 84.66
0.0174 0.0184 0.0 I 34 0.0175
0.005 0.009 0.007 0.006
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
199
et al., 1993) and again shows that the relative intensities are difficult to
predict and cannot be relied upon to determine the anharmonicity parameters. In an alternative analysis of the anharmonicity of the SiG,-H complex in GaAs, Walck and Fowler (1995) have used a Morse potential to fit the frequencies of the hydrogen-stretching modes, treated previously by Newman (1990, 1991). An interesting feature of this work is the interpretation of the small value of the SiGaisotope shift. These authors show that a threebody interaction bet ween a host atom and the SiG,-H oscillator can explain the small Sic, isotope shift that was observed experimentally by Pajot et al. (1988a). In their model, Walck and Fowler propose that the SiG,-H bond is strengthened as the Si atom moves away from the As neighbor to which it is weakly bonded (the defect structure is shown in the inset in Fig. 15). It is this bond strength variation that leads to a heavier effective mass for the Sic, atom. The H-stretching vibration is then treated as a Morse oscillator. The fit of this model to the observed vibrational frequencies is excellent.
c.
A n ab initio Calculation of the Anharmonicity
It has become common for the vibrational frequencies to be calculated for the defect structures that are proposed in theoretical studies. The comparison of the theoretically calculated vibrational frequencies with experimentally measured frequencies can be greatly affected by the anharmonicity of the modes. This is especially true for hydrogen local mode vibrations for which the anharmonic shifts are large (i.e., of the order of 100cm-' as has been shown here). Jones et ul. (1994) have calculated the effect of anharmonicity on the hydrogen-stretching modes of C-H in the HCN molecule and in the CA,-H complex in GaAs. The CA,-H complex in GaAs was discussed in Sections 111.3 and 1V.I and is of primary interest here. Calculations were performed by local density pseudopotential methods for a large cluster (see the chapter by Jones and Briddon in Volume 51A of this series). To determine the vibrational frequencies for CA,-H in GaAs, a CGa,,As,,H,, cluster was studied. The carbon was at a central As site and the hydrogen was at a near bond-center site adjacent to the CAs.All atoms were allowed to relax in the calculation until the energy was minimized. Vibrational frequencies for CA,-H were first calculated by methods used previously. Selected atoms were displaced from equilibrium, first by 0.09 atomic units and then by -0.09 atomic units, and the resulting forces on the selected atoms were evaluated to determine force constants. Jones et al. ( 1994) emphasize that purely harmonic force constants are not determined by this method and that quartic and higher-order terms affect the results.
200
MICHAELSTAVOLA
From these force constants, a dynamical matrix was constructed and “quasiharmonic” vibrational frequencies were determined. To explore the effect of anharmonicity on the calculated frequencies, Jones et al. (1994) considered the one-dimensional hydrogen-stretching motion along the CA,-H bonding direction and neglected the coupling to other modes, which were all well separated in frequency from the hydrogenstretching mode. The energy was calculated as a function of the displacement x of the hydrogen atom from equilibrium. Here x was varied from - 1.0 to 1.0 atomic units in steps of 0.05 atomic units. The energy was then fitted to a power series m
E
=
E,
+ 1 uixi i=2
containing terms up to m = 8. The three lowest eigenvalues for this anharmonic potential were evaluated numerically to determine the fundamental and overtone frequencies for the hydrogen-stretching mode. From these calculated frequencies, anharmonicity parameters, similar to those determined from experimental data in the preceding sections, were determined. From these calculations, Jones et al. (1994) have found that:
Thc harmonic hydrogen-stretching frequency for CA,-H in GaAs, determined from the purely harmonic term in the potential, Eq. (17), is higher than the quasiharmonic frequency. The hydrogen-stretching frequency is very sensitive to the CA,-H bond length because of the anharmonicity of the potential, and that this sensitivity is the greatest source of error in the calculation of the frequency. The calculated fundamental and overtone frequencies for the different isotopes of carbon and hydrogen give parameters X = 1.23 and B/m zz 150cm-’. These results are in good agreement with the previous results of Davidson et u1. (1993) who found X = 1.1 and B/m = 176 cm-’ from their analysis of the experimentally measured frequencies for the different carbon and hydrogen isotopes. Jones et a / . (1994) also address the question of why the overtone of the hydrogen-stretching mode of the CA,-H complex has not been observed, even though the anharmonicity is large. These authors calculate the transition probability for the second harmonic transition and find that electrical anharmonicity can greatly reduce the intensity of the overtone.
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
20 1
These theoretical results show that the potentials calculated for hydrogen stretching modes are indeed anharmonic and that the effect of anharmonicity on the predicted frequencies can be substantial.
2.
1748 cm- ' COMBINATION MODEOF INTERSTITIAL OXYGEN IN Si
Overtone and combination modes are made weakly allowed by anharmonicity. A combination mode observed for interstitial oxygen in Si at 1748.6cm-' (Krishnan and Hill, 1981; Pajot et ul., 1985; Pajot and Cales, 1986) is an interesting example that has allowed the frequency of the symmetric-stretching mode, which is not infrared active, to be determined (Pajot et al., 1995). The overtone provides information that is not available from the infrared spectra of the fundamental modes and allows the assignments of the fundamental modes of interstitial oxygen to be completed. (See also the review by Pajot, 1996.) As was already discussed in Section 111.1, above, there are three strong absorption bands observed in oxygen-containing Si, near 29 cm518cm-', and 1136cm-' (at liquid He temperature). The 1136cm-' band is due to the antisymmetric stretching motion of a Si-0-Si defect molecule, and the 29cm-' band is due to a low energy anharmonic excitation characteristic of a nearly linear molecule (Bosomworth et al., 1970; YamadaKaneta et a/., 1990). Several weaker combination bands, also related to oxygen, have also been observed. Of particular interest here is a band at 1748.6 cm-' that is shown in Fig. 22. The 518 cm-' band has been attributed to the symmetric-stretching mode of oxygen, which might be weakly allowed for a slightly bent Si-0-Si defect, but this assignment has been less certain than for the other fundamental modes. This assignment is supported by the results of a uniaxial stress experiment, which showed that the transition moment for the 518 cm-' mode is oriented transverse to the ( I1 1 ) bonding direction of the Si-0-Si defect, as would be expected for the symmetric-stretching mode (Stavola, 1984). A frequency shift for oxygen-isotopic substitution has not been observed (Hrostowski and Kaiser, 1957; Pajot et al., 1995), but this shift would be expected to be small for the symmetric-stretching mode because the oxygen motion is small. Of more serious concern is the lack of Si isotope shifts that would result from the naturally abundant isotopes 29Si and 30Si, which have been predicted to be large (Jones et al., 1992). The 1748.6 cmband was assigned to a combination of the 1136cm-' band and phonons of the Si host crystal (Pajot et al., 1985). In this case, the observed Si isotope shifts are roughly three times larger than those observed for the 1136 cm-'
',
'
202
MICHAEL STAVOLA
1710
1730 1750 Frequency (ern-1)
1770
FIG. 22. The 1748cm-I line (Pajot et ul., 1995) assigned to the combination of the symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes of interstitial oxygen in Si, measured at 1.5 K. Thc oxygen concentration was approximately 10" cm-3.
band (Section 111.l), which is not consistent with the involvement of host phonons in the combination mode. More appealing assignments of the 518 cm- and 1748.6 cm- bands were made by Yamada-Kaneta et al. (19901, who attributed the 518cm-' mode to defect-induced lattice absorption -that is, a transverse motion of the oxygen atom's Si neighbors, as was previously suggested by Bosomworth et al. (1970). This assignment is consistent with the transition moment direction determined previously and the lack of observed Si or oxygenisotope shifts. Yamada-Kaneta et ul. (1990) further suggested that the 1748.6cm-' band was a combination of the 1136cm-' mode and an excitation with a frequency near 613cm-' that might be assigned to the symmetric-stretching mode of oxygen. Yamada-Kaneta et al. (1990) argued that it is appropriate to consider the Si-0-Si defect molecule to have a linear, D3dstructure for which the symmetric-stretching mode would be infrared inactive, explaining its absence in the infrared spectrum. Artacho et al. (1995) have calculated the vibrational density of states and infrared absorption spectrum for oxygen in Si with a cluster-Bethe-lattice approach. The results are in excellent agreement with the assignments suggested previously by Yamada-Kaneta et al. (1990). Artacho et al. (1995) find an infrared absorption band at 517 cm-' in their calculation that is due to the transverse motion of the oxygen atom's Si neighbors. This band would correspond to the 518 cm- ' band observed experimentally. The
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
203
oxygen symmetric-stretching mode appears prominently in the calculated but is infrared inactive. The density of vibrational modes at 596.3 cm frequency shifts that result from Si and 0 isotopic substitutions have also been calculated. From the experimentally measured spectra of the combination mode at 1748.6cm-' and the 1136.4cm-' mode, the frequency, 612.2 cm-', can be deduced for the symmetric-stretching mode of 28Si-'602RSi(Artacho ef ul., 1995; Pajot et al., 1995), in good agreement with the theoretical result. The frequency shifts that result from Si and 0 isotopic substitutions have also been determined similarly from the experimental spectra and are in excellent agreement with the calculation of Artacho et u1. (1995). It is interesting to note the important roles played by anharmonicity and the host isotope shifts in determining the mode assignments for interstitial oxygen in Si. The mode assignments for interstitial oxygen in Si have been completed through the observation and assignment of a combination mode that was weakly allowed by anharmonicity. The previous assignment of a band at 518 cm-' was suspect because of the absence of the Si isotope shift expected for a localized mode. The deduction that the symmetric-stretching mode of oxygen is infrared inactive and lies near 612cm-1 is strongly supported by the agreement of the calculated isotope shifts with those that are determined from the observed bands near 1748 cm-' and 1136 cm-' ~
'
RESONANCE 3. FERMI If two vibrational modes of a defect lie close in frequency and have the same symmetry, they can be mixed by anharmonic interactions. The vibrational lines will be shifted in frequency and will share intensity. This effect is well known as Fermi resonance in molecular spectroscopy (Fermi, 1931; Herzberg, 1945; Wilson et al., 1955), and is particularly dramatic when a transition to one of the coupled levels would be forbidden in the absence of anharmonicity. Here, the assignment of the vibrational spectra of the donor-H complexes in Si, based upon a Fermi resonance between the second harmonic of the hydrogen-wagging mode and the stretching fundamental, will be discussed as an example (Zheng and Stavola, 1996; Zheng, 1996). The hydrogen-vibrational spectra of P-H, As-H, and Sb-H in Si (Bergman et al., 1988a) consist of three bands observed near 810,1560, and 1660cmp' for each of the complexes. There are corresponding bands at 584, 1143, and 1218 cm- for the donor-D complexes. The high-frequency bands observed for Sb-H and Sb-D are shown in Fig.23. The vibrational frequencies were found to be nearly independent of the donor, which was taken as support
'
204
MICHAELSTAVOLA (b) Sb-H
(a) Sb-D
0.012
0.03
(I)
0.008 -
-P 0
2
v)
0.004
-
0.01
0 -h
L 1120
1170
1220
1520
1620
1720
Frequency (cm -1) FIG.23. Absorption spectra measured near 4.2 K for the two high frequency bands of thc ( a ) Sb-D and (b) Sb-H complexes in Si. The positions o f the decoupled frcquencies and their separations (in c m - I ) are shown. (From Zheng and Stavola, 1996.)
for the defect structure originally proposed by Johnson et al. (1986) [Fig. 24(a)] because the hydrogen atom is attached to a Si neighbor, rather than the donor atom in the complex (Bergman et al., 1988a). The 810 and the 1560 cm-' bands were originally assigned to the H-wagging and stretching modes, respectively. The appearance of an additional H-stretching mode for a donor-H complex was unexpected and it was suggested that the 1660 cm . band might be due to some other complex. An important clue to the correct assignment of the vibrational modes came from the recognition that the second harmonic frequency of the 13-wagging mode, (02H.z 2 x 810cm-', lies between the two high-frequency bands (Zheng and Stavola, 1996). This suggests that if the second harmonic of the wagging mode and the H-stretching-mode fundamental were weakly coupled by anharmonic interactions, then vibrational transitions to these modes would share the intensily ojthe allowed transition to the H-stretching mode and give rise to both the 1560 and 1660cm-' bands. The situation is similar for the donor-D complexes. [A similar interaction between modes had previously permitted Watkins ~t al. (1990) to explain an anomalous isotope effect observed by Pajot et ul. (1988b) for the D-stretching vibrations of the "B-D and "B-D complexes in Si.] An energy-level diagram for the hydrogen modes of the donor-H complexes is shown in Fig. 24(b). The presumed hydrogen-mode frequencies are shown on the left for the assumption that there is no anharmonic coupling between the modes. The H-stretching mode transforms like the A , represen-
3
VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF
LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
tI 1650
205
/-
=\--
16001 (H:
4p
1550 850
1
E
I
' I4111
0 1 -
-
anharmonic coupling FIG. 24. (a) Structure of the Sb-H complex in Si. (b) Energy level diagram for the donor-H complexes in Si. The positions of the decoupled frequencies are shown on the left. The effect of a weak anharmonic perturbation is shown on the right. (From Zheng and Stavola, 1996.)
tation of the trigonal point group and the H-wagging mode transforms like E; the corresponding energy levels are shown by the high-frequency line near 1620cm-' and the line near 810 cm-', respectively. The second harmonic of the wagging mode transforms like the symmetrized product E x E, or in terms of irreducible representations, A, + E. These accidentally degenerate A, and E components of the second harmonic of the wag can be split by anharmonic terms in the potential (Herzberg, 1945; Wilson et al., 1955) and are shown by the two lower-lying levels near 1620 cm-' in Fig. 24(b). The modes that transform like the same irreducible representation can be coupled by anharmonic terms in the potential, that is, the H-stretching fundamental and the A, component of the second harmonic of the wag can be mixed, as is shown on the right in Fig. 24(b). The lowest-order term of the anharmonic perturbation that can couple the wave functions for the W-stretching fundamental, Is), and the second harmonic of the wag 12w) is the cubic term H' = k , ( X 2
+ y2)z
(18)
where the displacement coordinates are defined in Fig. 24(a). The energies of the coupled modes are given by the eigenvalues E , of the following perturbation matrix and the wavefunctions are given b y t h e corresponding
MICHAEL STAVOLA
206
eigenvectors a+ls) -
+ fl+12w): -
Here E , and E,,, are the decoupled energies of the H-stretching mode and the second harmonic of the wagging mode, respectively; E,, is related to the wagging-mode frequency by E,, = 2 E , - 6, where 6 is a small frequency shift due to anharmonicity; yi is the matrix element of H’ between the . values of 6 and yi and the energies of the uncoupled states Is) and 1 2 ~ ) The uncoupled states, E *, were determined by fitting the predicted energy eigenvalues to the energies of the observed H- and D-vibrational bands (Zheng and Stavola, 1996). There is also a weak band observed at 1616.7cm-’ in Fig. 23(b) for Sb-H. This band was assigned to the transition to the E component of the second harmonic of the wag shown in Fig. 24(b). The three bands near 810, 1560 and 1660cm-’, and also the weak band at 1616.7cm- all decay together upon annealing, which confirms that they all arise from the same defect center. The intensities of transitions to the admixed states I + and I - , are determined by the fraction of the H-stretching state Is) in the corrected wavefunctions because only the transition from the ground state to Is) is allowed for harmonic vibrations and has appreciable intensity. Thus the ratio of the intensities of the coupled modes is I + , ’ - = a:/a?. The intensity ratios calculated from the eigenvectors of the matrix in Eq. (19), without additional parameters, explain the isotope dependence of the intensities of the two high-frequency stretching bands. The assignment of the vibrational spectra of the donor-H and donor-D complexes in Si, based upon a Fermi resonance between the second harmonic of the hydrogen-wagging mode and the stretching fundamental, consistently explains the unexpected presence of two high-frequency hydrogen vibrational bands and the isotope dependence of their relative intensities. Although only the Sb-H complex has been discussed here, the P-H and As-H complexes behave similarly (Zheng and Stavola, 1996; Zheng, 1996).
V. Symmetry, Stress Alignment, and Reorientation Kinetics from Uniaxial Stress Data A defect in a diamond or zinc-blende lattice can have several crystallographically equivalent orientations, consistent with its symmetry. For
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
207
example, a defect with trigonal symmetry can have its threefold axis along any of the ( 1 1 1 ) crystal axes. An applied uniaxial stress can partially lift this orientational degeneracy and give rise to shifts of the transition energies and ground state energy that depend on the orientation of the defect with respect to the stress direction. When used in conjunction with vibrational spectroscopy, uniaxial stress perturbations provide additional information about the symmety, reorientation kinetics and ground state energy shift of a defect. In the following, the acceptor-hydrogen complex, B-H in Si (Pearton et al., 1992; Pankove and Johnson, 1991; Stutzmann and Chevallier, 1991), will be discussed as an example of a defect whose microscopic properties have been studied with uniaxial stress techniques. A few other examples will be introduced to illustrate additional points. In stress experiments, uniaxial stresses are applied to oriented samples along the directions of high symmetry ([OOl], [llO] and [lll]). It is straightforward to construct a stress apparatus that can be used to apply a well calibrated stress and that can be used with a commercial, variable temperature, cryostat. In a typical apparatus, a stainless steel tube is used as a push rod. Force is applied to the push rod from outside of the cryostat with a pneumatic cylinder. The stress is applied along the long axis of the sample (typical dimensions 2 x 2 x 8mm3) to end faces that have been ground flat and parallel. The probing light passes through the sample along a direction perpendicular to the stress axis and can be polarized with a wire grid polarizer.
1. STRESS-INDUCED SPLITTING OF
THE
VIBRATIONALLINES
An applied stress causes a vibrational line to split into components when the vibrational transition energies of differently oriented defects are made inequivalent by the stress. In most cases, stress can be applied at sufficiently low temperature so that the defect being studied does not reorient. In Fig. 25, the bond-centered configuration of an acceptor-H complex is shown with stress applied along the [ 1lo] direction. The four (1 11) orientations of the center are divided into two inequivalent pairs by the [llO] stress that will have different vibrational frequencies. Further, through the use of polarized light in uniaxial stress experiments, transitions at centers with different orientations can be selectively excited. From the stress data, the symmetry of the defect can be determined. Kaplyanskii (1964) has considered the stress-induced splitting of the energies of transitions between nondegenerate levels of defects of the seven possible symmetry types in cubic crystals. The stress induced shift A of the transition energy of a specifically oriented defect can be written in terms of
208
MICHAELSTAVOLA
FIG. 25. An acceptor-H complex under [llO] stress. n, and nh are the populations of the orientations u and h that arc made inequivalent by the applied stress. Below, a schematic diagram is shown of the energy of the acceptor-H complex vs position of the hydrogen atom in the (101) plane that contains inequivalent orientations. The orientation-dependent shift of the transition energies between Vibrational states of a defect gives rise to the splitting of the vibrational lines. The activation energy for reorientation is the height of the barrier between different orientations and is determined from the reorientation kinetics. Jt is the oricntationdependent shift of the ground-state energy under stress that gives rise to strcss alignment when the temperature is sufficiently high for the kinetic barrier to be surmounted. The ground-state energy shift is determined from the magnitude of the alignment in equilibrium. (From Veloarisoa et d,1993.)
a symmetric piezospectroscopic tensor Ai as
Here the defect coordinate system with cubic axes x, y, and z is used. The aij are the components of the stress tensor where oij = ninjs. ni and nj are the direction cosines of the stress vector with respect to coordinate axes i and j ; s is the magnitude of the stress (defined to be positive for compression). The symmetry of a center restricts the number of inequivalent components of the piezospectroscopic tensor. For the example of a trigonal
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
209
center, the defect's threefold axis is taken to be along the [lll] direction. In this case, the symmetric piezospectroscopic tensor has only two independent components and is given by
A=
The transition energy shifts for each of the defect orientations can be determined from Eq. (20). The intensity of a stress-split component of a vibrational line is not given simply by the number of orientations that remain equivalent in the presence of the applied stress because the absorption of polarized light for a specific defect orientation is proportional to the square of the projection of the optical transition moment along the polarization direction. Thus the relative size of the absorption coefficient for a stress-split component is determined by summing the squares of the transition moment projections for the different defect orientations that contribute to it. The number of stress-split components, their shift rates, and their relative intensities for transitions between nondegenerate levels for the defect symmetries of interest have been tabulated by Kaplyanskii (1964). Thus a comparison of the observed splitting pattern and intensities for a few sample orientations with the tabulated results is often sufficient to determine a defect's symmetry. For degenerate vibrational levels, the applied stress can lift the level degeneracy in addition to the orientational degeneracy, thereby providing information from which the vibrational modes can be assigned. Results for the stress-induced splittings of the transitions between the degenerate states of defects with tetragonal or trigonal symmetry have been derived by Hughes and Runciman ( 1967) and tabulated. The B-H complex has a hydrogen vibrational mode at 1903cmp1 at liquid He temperature (Stavola et al., 1988a). Spectra are shown in Fig. 26 for the high symmetry stress directions and for polarizations of the exciting light that are parallel and perpendicular to the stress axis (Bergman et a[., 1988b). The positions of the bands are plotted vs the magnitude of the stress in Fig. 27. A comparison of these data with Table IV shows that the 1903 cm-' band is a longitudinal stretching mode of a defect with trigonal symmetry. In this case, the stress-induced shift rates of five lines are consistently described by two parameters: A , = 12.7 cm-'/GPa, which is determined from the shift of the center of gravity of the lines; and A , = 13.5 cmp '/GPa, which is determined from their splitting. The polarization selection rules show that the transition moment direction is along the
210
MICHAELSTAVOLA
E l a ,
,
!
,
1900
1860
o//lllol
1
,
1860
l
1900
d
I
1940 1860
1900
298MPa
O//[?lo]
,
l
l
1940 1860
L
1940
244MPa
l
1900
,
l
194(
FREQUENCY icrn-'t
FIG. 26. Spectra of the H-stretching line of the B-H complex in Si measured near 15 K with polarized light; is the applied stress with the magnitude and direction shown, and E is the electric vector of the light. (From Bergman et d.,1988b.)
(1 11) symmetry axis of the defect, consistent with a longitudinal stretching mode. The donor-H complexes in Si for P, As, and Sb donors (see Section IV.3) all have a vibrational absorption line near 810cm-' (Bergman et ul., 1988a). This line was assigned to the doubly degenerate hydrogen wagging vibration
TABLE IV
A AND INTENSITY RATIOSFOR AN A , MODEOF A TRIGONAL CENTER (Kaplyankii, 1964)
STKESS-INDUCEI) SHIITS
A
Intensity and Polarization
3
VlBRATiONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF
x
0
500 0
250
211
LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
250
E II
500 0
[rio]
250
500
Stress (MPa)
FIG.27. Stress-induced shifts of the vibrational frequency of the H-stretching line of the B-H complex in Si. (From Bergman et a[., 1988b.)
%As-H h
r
6
Y
808
0
200
400
600
0
200
400
600
Stress (MPa)
FIG. 28. Stress-induced shifts of the vibrational frequency of the doubly degenerate Hwagging line of the As-H complex in SI measured near 15 K. (From Bergman er ul., 1988.b)
of the donor-H complex. The positions of the stress-split components vs the applied stress and their polarization dependencies are shown in Fig. 28 for the As-H complex (Bergman et a/., 1988b). A comparison with the results of Hughes and Runciman (1967) shows that these data are consistent with the excitation of an E mode of a trigonal center, confirming the assignment of the 810cm-' line to the hydrogen-wagging mode. There are more components than for the 1903 cm- line of the B-H complex because the stress lifts the orientational degeneracy and the mode degeneracy. Four parameters are required to describe these stress results.
2. KINETICS OF DEFECT MOTION An applied stress gives rise to a shift of the ground state energy of a defect complex that depends on its orientation (Fig. 25). In favorable cases, there is a range of temperatures in which a defect is free to move among its
212
MICHAELSTAVOLA
possible orientations by thermally activated jumps over a barrier between sites. Stress techniques can be used to measure the kinetics of the defect motion and hence determine the height of the barrier between different orientations. In such experiments, stress is applied at a temperature that is sufficiently high for the defect to reorient. The preferential occupation of the lower-energy orientations gives rise to a net alignment of the defects. The optical transition moments for vibrational transitions have specific orientations with respect to the defect coordinates. Hence, a stress-induced alignment of the defects will be detected as an anisotropy in the polarized optical absorption. If a sample containing defects that are preferentially aligned under stress is cooled to sufficiently low temperature with the stress maintained, the alignment can usually be quenched in and will persist after the stress is removed. In subsequent annealing experiments, made in the absence of stress, the centers will redistribute randomly among their equivalent orientations. A convenient measure of the anisotropy of the polarized absorption is the dichroic ratio, defined as
where the as are the absorption coefficients for light beams polarized parallel and perpendicular to the stress direction. The kinetics for the disappearance of the stress-induced dichroism can be measured to determine the reorientation kinetics of the center. In most cases, the decay of the dichroism follows first-order kinetics. In this case
DID, = exp( - k , t ) where
k,
= v o exp( - E , / k T )
Here t is the annealing time, E , is the activation energy for reorientation of the complex, vo is an attempt frequency, T is the annealing temperature, and k, is the rate of decay of the dichroism. The rate of a jump from one specific orientation to another is proportional to k , with the constant of proportionality depending on the configuration of the defect in the lattice. Spectra measured for the B-H and B-D complexes in Si that had been aligned by a stress applied along the [l lo] direction are shown in the inset in Fig. 29 (Cheng and Stavola, 1994; Stavola and Cheng, 1995). (Both B-H and B-D had been introduced into the same sample so that an unambiguous comparison of their reorientation rates could be made.) The stress was
3
VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF
LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
213
1415 1880 1930 FREQUENCY (cm-I)
1375
0.01
0
I
I
10000
20000
I
I
30000
40000
t (s) FIG.29. Decay of the stress-induced dichroism for the 1903 cm-' band of the B-H complex and for the 1390cm band of the B-D complex. Polarized absorption spectra for the (a) B-D and (b) B-H complexes are shown in the insets. The decay of the dichroism is sufficiently slow at the measurement temperature (65 K) that the stress-induced dichroism did not decay appreciably while the absorption measurements were made. (From Cheng and Stavola, 1994.)
applied while the sample was cooled and was then removed immediately prior to the absorption measurements made with light beams polarized parallel (Ell [110]) and perpendicular (E(ICI101)to the stress direction. The greater absorption strength for light polarized perpendicular to the stress direction shows that the orientations in the plane perpendicular to the stress direction are preferred. The decay of the dichroism is shown in Fig. 29 for B-H and B-D for two temperatures. The reorientation process corresponds to a jump of the hydrogen (or deuterium) atom from one bond-centered site to another (Fig. 30). The rate of a jump from one specific site to another, kj, is related to the rate of decay of the dichroism by (Stavola et al., 1988b) kj
= 4kd
(24)
A plot of In(kj) vs T - ' is shown in Fig. 30. If the reorientation kinetics are first-order, the value of E,/k is determined from the slope of the line fit to the data. Values for E, are given in the figure. These data have two interesting aspects. First, the rate of B-D reorientation is greater than that of B-H in this temperature range. This is a surprising result because one would expect the heavier D to jump more slowly than H. Second, the jump rate and activation energy for B-H
214
MICHAEL STAVOLA
E: 1.4
= 0.1 94 f 0.002eV
1.5 1.6 100 / T (K -1)
1.7
1.8
FIG.30. Hydrogen anc‘ deuterium jump rates vs T-’ for the B-H and B-D complexes. Activation energies that correspond to the solid lines are shown. In thc inset. the H jump from one bond-centered site to another is shown for the B-H complex. (From Cheng and Stavola,
19Y4.)
reorientation have been determined near 125 K by internal friction measurements for much faster reorientation rates (Cannelli et ul., 199 1). The internal friction data and stress dichroism data cannot be fit with a single activation energy (Cheng and Stavola, 1994). A deviation of the hydrogen jump rate from the simple Arrhenius behavior described by Eq. (23a) is well known for hydrogen diffusion in metals where tunneling plays a role in the jump process (Fukai and Sugimoto, 1985). The results for B-H in Si support a suggestion made by Stoneham (1989) that reorientation occurs by a thermally assisted tunneling mechanism rather than by hopping over a barrier. In some cases, the jump process by which a defect reorients corresponds to a diffusion jump. Measurements of the decay of the stress alignment then provide a measurement of the diffusion constant D that is related to the time constant z for a jump from one specific site to another by
where d is the jump distance. The classic example of the determination of a defect’s diffusion constant from the decay kinetics of stress dichroism is the diffusion of interstitial oxygen in Si (Corbett et ul., 1964). The reorientation of interstitial oxygen occurs by a jump from one bond-bridging site t o
3 VIBRATIONALSPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
215
another (Fig. 31). This reorientation process corresponds to a diffusion jump. In this case stress was applied near 400°C to align the interstitial oxygen preferentially, giving rise to a dichroism in the 1106cm-’ band (measured at room temperature) assigned to the antisymmetric stretching mode of oxygen. The decay of the dichroism was measured in subsequent annealing experiments to provide an accurate value of the diffusion constant at a much lower temperature than is accessible by mass transport measurements. In their early determination of the diffusion constant of interstitial oxygen, Corbett et al. (1964) combined their diffusion data, measured from the relaxation of dichroism, with internal friction data (Southgate, 1960; Hass, 1960) to obtain the following result:
D
= 0.23 cm2/s exp(2.561 eV/kT)
(26)
The data used by Corbett et a/. (1964), shown in Fig. 25, give a value for the diffusion constant of oxygen that is in excellent agreement with the results
YO
\llo,-o,
6?0 T (“C)
4?0
CORBETT eral.(l964) MIKKELSEN (1982) NEWMAN eraL(l983) * SOUTHGATE (1960) 0 STAVOLA etaL(1983) 0 h
io+
I
I
I
I
I
I
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1031~
(~-4)
FIG. 31. Selected diffusion data plotted vs 1/T for interstitial oxygen in Si. The inset shows the configuration of interstitial oxygen in Si and a diffusion jump from one bond-bridging site to another. Attributions for the data shown in the figure are included in the References.
216
MICHAEL STAVOLA
of several subsequent studies (Newman, 1994). Through the combination of mass transport measurements at higher temperature (Mikkelsen, 1982) and stress dichroism measurements near 400°C (Corbett et al., 1964; Stavola et al., 1983; Newman et al., 1983), the oxygen-diffusion constant has now been measured for over 12 orders of magnitude. 3. GROUND-STATE ENERGY SHIFT
If the temperature is sufficiently high for the defects to reorient and there has been suficient time for equilibrium to be established under stress, then the populations of the different orientations will be determined by Boltzmann statistics. This gives rise to the preferential alignment of the defects discussed in the preceding section. For the example shown in Fig. 25, the ratio of the defect concentrations for orientations b and a would be given by nb/nu
= exp[l(E, - E b ) / k T l
(27)
where E , and E , are the ground-state energies of defects with orientations a and b, respectively. The energy difference E, - E , can be determined from the population ratio. The stress-induced shifts of the ground-state energy can be written in terms of a piezospectroscopic tensor with the same general form as that already discussed in Section V.l, but with different values for its components. (The tensor components are written with primes here to distinguish them from the tensor components for the transition energy shifts.) Only the traceless part of the tensor can be determined from stress-alignment data because the alignment is only sensitive to the difference in energy between different orientations. For the example of a defect with trigonal symmetry, only one parameter A; is required to describe the stress-induced groundstate energy difference E, - E, and stress applied along one direction is sufficient to determine this coupling to stress. For the examples shown in Fig. 25, a uniaxial stress with magnitude o 1 is applied in the [IlO] direction. For this stress direction and [OOl] optical viewing direction, the ratio of the measured absorption coefficients aL/cL,,for the hydrogen-stretching band gives the population ratio nJn, and from Eq. (27j, the groundstate energy difference, E, - E,. I n terms of the magnitude of the [ l l O ] stress, A; is given by A; = (E,
-
E,)/2o
1 I0
(28)
From Eqs. (27) and (28) one finds that the slope of a plot of In(n,/n,) vs is 2A;/kT where T is the temperature at which the defect was aligned.
cr,
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENTIMPURITIES
1.5 h
217
-
- Si:B-H -
E
I
0
I
100
I
I
I
I
I
200 300 STRESS (MPa)
I
400
I
500
FIG. 32. The In(ct,/a,,) vs the magnitude of the stress applied along the [ I l O ] direction at 77 K for the B-H complex in Si. (From Veloarisoa rt al., 1993.)
A plot of In(n,/n,) vs the magnitude of the stress applied along the [llo] direction is shown in Fig. 32 for the B-H complex in Si (Veloarisoa el al., 1993). Stress was applied at 77 K and maintained for 30 min prior to the measurement of the population ratio. At 77K, the reorientation is suficiently fast to ensure that equilibrium was established. From these data the value A; = 93.6 cm- '/GPa was determined (where the sign of a compressive stress is defined to be positive). Symmetry information can be obtained from the orientation dependence of the stress alignment. For a defect with trigonal symmetry, for example, the different (1 11) directions remain equivalent for stresses applied along a (001) direction and no alignment or dichroism is produced. Stress dichroism data were used to establish the trigonal symmetry of oxygen in Si by Corbett et al. (1964). And no dichroism is produced by a [OOl] stress for the B-H complex in Si, consistent with its trigonal symmetry determined from the splitting of the hydrogen-stretching line (Stavola et al., 1988).
OF MICROSCOPIC PROPERTIES 4. CORRELATION
An important aspect of uniaxial stress experiments is that stress perturbations can be combined with a variety of characterization methods. The quantitative results determined for the ground state shift or reorientation kinetics, for example, provide a means to correlate the defect spectra observed by different techniques. In the first use of stress-induced dichroism techniques, the reorientation kinetics of the A-center in Si (i.e., the oxygen-
218
MICHAEI. STAVOLA
FIG 33. The configuration of the oxygen-vacancy complex (or A center) in Si. (From Watkins and Corbett, 1961.)
vacancy complex, Fig. 33) were determined in EPR and vibrational spectroscopy experiments (Watkins and Corbett, 1961; Corbett et ul., 1961). The inset in Fig. 34 shows the stress-induced dichroism observed for a vibrational absorption band at 12pm in oxygen-rich Si that had been electron irradiated. The two data points shown in Fig.34 for the loss of stressinduced dichroism in the 12pm band were found to be in excellent agreement with the reorientation kinetics of the A-center, determined in stress experiments performed with EPR. Thus, the 12 pm band was convincingly assigned to the A-center. Since these pioneering experiments, the correlation of the results of stress experiments has often been used to prove that the spectroscopic signatures observed by different techniques are indeed due to the same defect.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thank G. D. Watkins, S. J. Pearton, W. B. Fowler, G. Davies, C. G. DeLeo, K. Bergman, D. M. Kozuch, I. A. Veloarisoa, Y. M. Cheng, J.-F. Zheng, S. J. Uftring, M. Evans, J. Zhou and M. Weinstein for enjoyable collaborations on vibrational studies of impurities. He would also like to thank R. C . Newman for the numerous
3 VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF LIGHTELEMENT IMPURITIES
219
Reorientation spin resownca - o
-
60
t-
101
30
'f
I
I
,
,
,
7.0
I
,
,
,
0.0 1@/T
(K-1)
FIG. 34. Isothermal relaxation time 7 vs l / r for the stress-induced alignment of the A center in Si. Data shown with open circles were measured by EPR and data shown by closed circles were measured by infrared absorption. The inset shows the 12 pm vibrational absorption band assigned to the neutral charge state of the A-center. The transmission spectra were measured with light beams polarized parallel and perpendicular to the direction of an applied (100) stress of 185 MPa. The spectrum with zero applied stress is also shown. (From Corbett et al., 1961.)
discussions of local mode spectroscopy that have occurred over the years. The preparation of this chapter was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMR-9415404 and by the US. Navy Office of Naval Research under Grant No. N00014-94-1-0117.
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Maradudin, A. A,, Montroll, E. W., Weiss, C. H., and Ipotova, I. P. (1971). Solid State Physics, H. Ehrenreich. F. Seitz, and D. Turnbull, eds., Academic, New York, Supplement 3, 2nd edition. Mayur, A. J., Sciacca, M. D., Udo, M. K., Ramdas, A. K., itoh, K., Wolk, J., and Haller, E. E. (1994). Phys. Reo. B, 49, 16293. Mayur, A. J., Sciacca, M. D., Kim, H., Miotkowski, I., Ramdas, A. K., and Rodriguez, S. (1996). Phvs. Rev. B, 53, 12884 (1996). McCluskey, M. D., Haller, E. E., Walukiewicz, W., and Becla, P. (1996). Phys. Ren. B, 53, 16297. Mikkelsen, J. C. (1982). Appl. Phys. Lett., 40, 336. Morse, P. M. (1929). Phys. Rec. 34, 57. Moss, T. S. (1959). Optical Properties qf Semiconductors. Academic Press, New York. Murakami, K., Fukata, N., Sasaki, S., Ishioka. K., Kitajima, M., Fujimura, S., Kikuchi, J., and Haneda, H. (1996). Phys. Rev. Lett., 77, 3161. Murray, R. and Newman, R. C. (1989). Landolt-Biirnstein, Vol. 22b, 0. Madelung and M. Schulz, eds., Springer-Verlag. Berlin, pp. 382--390, 505-510, 576-583. 661, 669, 708, 713. Murray, R., Newman, R. C., Leigh, R. S., Beall, R. B., Harris, J. J., Brozel, M. R., MohadesKassai, A,, and Goulding, M. (1989a). Seniicond. Sci. Technol., 4, 423. MUrrdy, R., Newman, R. C., Sangster, M. J. L., Beall, R. B., Harris, J. J., Wright, P. J., Wagner, J., and Ramsteiner, M. (1989b). f. Appl. Phys., 66, 2589. Newman, R. C., Thompson, F., Hyliands, M., and Peart, R. F. (1972). Sol. St. Commun., 10,505. Newman, R. C. (1973). Infrured Studies of Crystal Dqfects. Taylor and Francis. London. Newman, R. C., Tucker. J. H., and Livingston, F. M. (1983). J . Phys. Cc Solid St. Pkys., 16, L151. Newman, R. C. (1990~).Growth and Characterizatiun of Semiconductors, R. A. Stradling and P. C. Klipstein, eds., Adam Hilger, Bristol, p. 119. Newman, R. C. (1990b). Semirond. Sci. Techno/., 5,911. Newman, R. C. (1991). Hjidroqen in Semiconductors: Bulk and Surface Properties, M. Stutzmann and J. Chevallier, eds., North Holland, Amsterdam, p. 409. Newman, R. C. (1993). Imperfections in III/VMuferiul.s, E. Weber, ed., Academic Press, Boston, p. 117. Newman, R. C. (1994a). Oxygen in Silicon, F. Shimura, ed., Academic Press, Boston, p. 290. Newman, R. C. (1994b). Semicund. Sci. Techno/., 9, 1749. Pajot, B. and Deltour, J. P. (1967). Infrared Phys., 7, 195. Pajot, B., Stein, H. J., Cales, B., and Naud, C. (1985). .I. Electrochern. Soc., 132, 3034. Pajot, B. and Cales, B. (1986). Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen und Nitrogen in Crystalline Silicon, J. C. Mikkelson, S. J. Pearton, J. W. Corbett, and S. J. Pennycook, eds., MRS, Pittsburgh, p. 39. Pajot, B. and Clauws, P. (1987). Proceedings q f t h e 18th Intemutional ConfLwnce on the Physics qfSrmiconductor.s. 0. Engstrom, ed., World Scientific, Singapore, p. 91 1. Pajot, B., Newman, R. C., Murray, R., Jalil, A,, Chevallier, J., and Azoulay, R. (1988a). Phys. B, 37,4188. Pajot, R., Chari, A,, Aucouturier, M., Astier, M., and Chantre, A. (1988b). Solid State Cornmun., 67, 855. Pajot. B., Clerjaud, B., and Chevallier, J. (1991). Hydrogen in Semiconducturs: Bulk unii Surface Properties, M. Stutzmann and J. Chevallier, eds., North Holland, Amsterdam, p. 371. Pajot, B. (1994). Ovyqen in Silicon, F. Shimura, ed.. Academic Press, Boston, p. 191. Pajot, B., Artacho, E., Ammerlaan, C. A. J., and Spaeth, J.-M. (1995). J . Phyr. Condens. Matter 7, 1077. Pajot, B. (1996). Early Stages u j Oxygen Precipitation in Silicon, R. Jones, ed., Klewer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, p. 283. Pankove, J. I. and Johnson, N. M. (1991). Hydrogen in Semiconductors. Academic, Boston. Pavesi, L. and Giannozzi, P. (1991). Phys. Rev. B, 43, 2446. ~
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SEMICONDUCTORS A N D SEMIMETALS, VOL 5 1 R
CHAPTER4
Defect Processes in Semiconductors Studied at the Atomic Level by Transmission Electron Microscopy P. Schwander and K-D. Rau I N S l l T U T b FOR SLMICONL~lI( rOR PIlYSlCS
FRAKKILIRT ( O D ~ KGERMANY ),
C. Kisielowski LAWRPW 6I.RKt ~ LEY N A I I O ~LAHORATORY A~ hKKI.I.tY, CALIbORNlh
111. Gribelyuk CORPORATL RESFARCHLABOI~ATORIFS
TI.XAS INSlRUMt'NTS,
INC..
DAIIAS. TEXAS
A. Ourmazd
1. IN~.RODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. INFORMATION FROM HRTEM LATTICE IMAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Approuc1ie.s to Quuntitutive HRTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
111. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS BY REAL-SPACE METHODS I . Principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Implenwntarion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV. APPLICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Difusion in AlGnAs . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. DrJusion in GcSi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. SiiSiO, Iniqfacial Roughness . . . . . . . . V. CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REFEKENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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225 Copyright i:, 1999 by Academic Presc All rights of reproduction in any form rescrved. ISBN 0-12-752165-8 ISSN 0080-8784 130.00
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I. Introduction The semiconductor industry roadmap for the next decade calls for the fabrication of chips consisting of up to 50 billion transistors, each 200 atoms long and 50 atoms deep. Fewer than 64 faulty transistors would be tolerated per chip. This degree of manufacturability requires unprecedented control of a variety of defect-mediated processes in near-surface regions with microscopic lateral dimensions. Figure 1 shows a high-resolution micrograph of a MOSFET in next-generation CMOS (0.1pm) technology as obtained from a modern transmission electron microscope. The length of the channel, and specifically the thickness of the gate oxide, is measured in units of atomic spacings. In order to achieve such a level of manufacturability, our fundamental understanding and control of the involved processes has to reach the atomic level. To predict and control diffusion behavior or interfacial roughness on such length scales, characterization techniques offering according resolution and sensitivity are indispensable for process development and optimization. For many of the steps associated with device fabrication a thermal budget is required. Diffusion during such annealing steps essentially relies on the reaction and behavior of point defects. To elucidate the mechanisms by
FIG. 1. High-resolution transmission electron micrograph of an n-channel MOS transistor in cross section. The inset shows a lattice image of the channel region of the device. The channel IS less than 400 atoms long (Courtesy of Y. Kim).
4
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which intrinsic point defect reactions occur, the thermodynamic parameters for the creation and migration of point defects must be measured. Many characterization techniques have been developed, each with its specific strengths and limitations. Each method can be classified by its spatial resolution, sensitivity, statistical reliability, and ease of use. Tradeoffs usually have to be made, depending on the application. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been used for some time to image defect structures at high spatial resolution (Hirsch et ul., 1965). In contrast to most scanning probe techniques, TEM delivers information on bulk properties (projected along the beam direction). TEM images are also highly sensitive to changes in sample composition and crystalline perfection on a microscopic scale. On the other hand, extracting quantitative information from lattice images requires sophisticated techniques, not usually needed by scanning probe methods. Recently, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) entered the quantitative era. Different approaches for quantitative evaluation of HRTEM lattice images have been developed for specific problem classes (Ultramicroscopy, 64, 1996; Mobus and Ruhle, 1994; Ourmazd et ul., 1989a,b; Schwander et a/., 1993). Of particular interest is the ability to measure composition profiles across specific microscopic regions of a sample with near-atomic resolution and sensitivity. We will show how quantitative diffusion studies using marker layer experiments allow thin films to be used as microscopic laboratories for the investigation of fundamental properties of point defects. This can provide valuable input for physically based diffusion models used in state-of-the-art processing simulators. This chapter is organized as follows. Section I1 provides a brief review of the capabilities and limitations of HRTEM methods. Section 111 gives a short introduction to quantitative analysis in HRTEM and describes the basic principles of real-space analysis of lattice images. The existing implementations of Chemical Mapping and QUANTITEM are introduced and the range of applicability of each method, together with practical guidelines for the use of the techniques, are discussed. Section IV describes selected applications, giving examples of (a) Investigation of diffusion in AIGaAs; (b) Interdiffusion measurements in SiGe; and (c) Measurement of the Si/SiO, interfacial roughness. We summarize and conclude in Section V. It should be noted that this chapter is neither a definitive treatment on the subject, nor an exhaustive review. The primary intention is to provide the interested reader with the conceptual basics for investigation of defect processes by quantitative HRTEM. Details can be found in the cited literature.
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11. Information from HRTEM Lattice Images
In high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, a crystalline sample is usually imaged along a low indexed zone axis. Provided there is sufficient instrumental resolution of the electron microscopic setup, the resulting lattice image can be interpreted as a fingerprint of the sample (Coulomb) potential projected along the zone axis. Figure 2 shows an example of an HRTEM micrograph of a GaAs/Al,,,Ga,,,As quantum well in cross section. The location of the quantum well, representing a random alloy structure, is easily recognized as a pattern change in the high-resolution image. The corresponding change in the projected potential can therefore be directly visualized in a qualitative way. It is important to note, however, that due to the strong interaction of electrons with solids, described by dynamical or multiple scattering, as well as due to the highly nonlinear image formation process in HRTEM that stems from the inherent aberrations of electromagnetic lenses, the quanti-
FIG.2. High-resolution lattice image of GaAs/AI,,,Ga, ,As quantum wells at two different magnifications. The area of the high-magnification lattice image is indicated in the overview picture. Note the change of the image pattern at the quantum well interface.
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tative interpretation of the contrast in lattice images is rather complicated (see Section 11.1). Nevertheless, much useful information is contained in high-resolution lattice images. Numerous HRTEM investigations of dislocations, precipitates, grain and tilt boundaries, as well as of interface structure and roughness in semiconductors have provided valuable insight into the microscopic properties of these materials (for a review see, e.g., Spence, 1988), although the images have been primarily interpreted in a qualitative way. Over the last few years, however, an increasing trend to a quuntitutive evaluation of the image contrast has emerged. In the following, we will briefly address the principles of the different approaches that have been developed. We will then focus on quantitative evaluation by the real-space techniques Chemical Mapping and QUANTITEM.
TO QUANTITATIVE HRTEM 1. APPROACHES
High-resolution transmission electron microscopy aims to image the “atomic” (Coulomb) potential of an unknown sample, projected along a symmetry direction. Quantitative HRTEM attempts to measure the atomic potential. This requires the determination of two quantities: the projected potential and the corresponding uncertainty or measurement error. Lattice images taken by HRTEM can contain local information about the sample at near-atomic resolution. In spite of their visual appeal, lattice images cannot be directly interpreted in terms of sample structure and/or composition. There are two primary reasons for this. First, electrons are multiply scattered in the sample, even after a few atomic layers (see, e.g., Spence, 1988). Second, electromagnetic lenses have severe aberrations, leading to a strong dependence of the image features on the contrast transfer function of the electron microscope (e.g., the defocus of the objective lens). For these reasons, the image depends sensitively on the sample thickness as well as the imaging conditions. Quantitative HRTEM aims to determine the structure and composition of the sample with high spatial resolution and sensitivity. There are several approaches to quantitative HRTEM. Many of them have made substantial progress in recent years. They can be roughly divided into three different classes, as described here. (1) The projected potential is determined in two steps. First, the complex electron wave at the exit surface of the crystal is determined. This requires deconvolution of the transfer characteristics of the electron microscope [Fig. 3(a)]. Second, the effect of dynamical scattering is “unfolded” to obtain the projected potential. The wave function can be obtained either by
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(8)
(b)
FIG. 3. Schematic representation of two approaches to quantitative HRTEM. In the conventional approach (a), the eflects of lens aberrations and multiple scattering are successively treated in order to retrieve the sample projected potential P(x, y ) from the image intensity I(x, y). In the “real-space’’ approach (b), the effects of lens aberration and multiple scattering are represented by a function F , which represents a nonlinear relationship between the projected potential and the image I ( x , y). The function F depends on the imaging conditions and varies from image to image. Using vector pattern recognition to quantify the content of the image, real-space approaches attempt to determine the dependence of the function F on the sample projected potential P for each image individually.
electron holography (Lichte, 1986, 1991; Orchowski et a/., 1995) or by focus variation techniques (Schiske, 1968; Kirkland, 1984; Kirkland et ul., 1985; Coene et ul., 1992, 1996; Van Dyck and O p de Beeck, 1993). To obtain the aberration-free wavefunction, the image parameters must be determined with some precision. The projected potential can be estimated from the wavefunction by an inversion of the multiple scattering process (Van Dyck et ul., 1989; Gribelyuk, 1991; Lentzen and Urban, 1996; Scheerschmidt and Knoll, 1994). These approaches require, at least in principle, no u priori information about the object under investigation. ( 2 ) The sample structure is determined by comparison of the experimental image intensity with simulated images through objective metrics. Starting with an initial guess of a model structure, successive refinements attempt to minimize the differences between the simulated and experimental images. Suitable algorithms have been developed to automate the procedure (Thust and Urban, 1992; King and Campbell, 1993; Hofmann and Ernst, 1994; Mobus and Ruhle, 1994). The image parameters need not be known
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precisely, because they may also be refined together with the model structure. These approaches usually require some a priori information about the object. (3) There are real-space techniques that attempt to extract the information without any knowledge of the imaging parameters, or comparison with simulated images, beyond what is needed to establish the initial validity of the approach [Fig. 3(b)]. These real-space techniques use pattern recognition algorithms (Ourmazd and Spence, 1987; Ourmazd et al., 1989a, b, 1990; Bode et al., 1991; Baumann et al., 1992, 1995; Schwander et al., 1993; Stenkamp and Jager, 1993; Seitz et ul., 1995; Hillebrand et al., 1995). These approaches require some a priori information about the object, for example, type of atoms and the crystalline structure type. At present, they rely on the assumption that the atoms lie entirely on coherent lattices. Therefore, at least at present, such methods cannot be applied to extended defects (i.e., they are applicable only to a subset of all possible systems). A treatment of all the approaches mentioned here would be far beyond the scope of the present chapter. In the following section, we will outline the conceptual basis and implementation of the real-space techniques Chemical Mapping and QUANTITEM, both of which belong to class (3). In spite of the limitations already mentioned, we will see in Section 1V that these techniques suffice to be applied to study a number of important materials problems.
111. Quantitative Analysis by Real-space Methods As has been outlined in Section 11, HRTEM lattice images are not simple projections of the sample structure. Traditionally, a link is established between the two by comparing lattice images with image calculations. However, this is complicated in practice because the imaging parameters are often not known and it is difficult to measure them with sufficient precision. Over the past decade, it has become clear that in some instances, information can be directly extracted from an experimental image without recourse to comparison with simulated images (Ourmazd et al., 1989a, b; De Jong and Van Dyck, 1990; Schwander et al., 1993; Walther and Gerthsen, 1993; Stenkamp and Jager, 1993). This chapter is concerned with techniques that extract information by real-space (pattern recognition) analysis of experimental images. The state of the art is such that, under appropriate conditions, the sample thickness and/or composition may be mapped at near-atomic level. Real-space analysis attempts to deduce the local properties of the sample by examining the local information content of the image.
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This approach is valid to the extent that the local information content of the image emanates from a known area in the sample of the same cross section. Taken to the extreme, real-space analysis examines individual regions containing images of single atom-columns. Usually the image is divided into small regions and the intensity distribution in each region is evaluated. In HRTEM the periodicity of the lattice can be used to divide the image into unit cells, within each of which the intensity distribution is measured. We will describe how analysis using vector pattern recognition techniques can be used to discriminate efficiently between signal and noise, allowing one to perform maximum noise reduction. The final goal of quantitative real-space analysis is the determination of two quantities at each unit cell of the lattice image: the measured projected potential; and its uncertainty or confidence level. Specifically, we are here concerned with Chemical Mapping (Ourmazd et ul., 1990) and QUANTITEM (Schwander et ul., 1993). These “direct” techniques use pattern recognition to extract the available information efficiently, producing dutu (i.e., numbers, each associated with a confidence level). For many systems of interest, an experimental image may be analyzed in a matter of minutes, to obtain detailed composition and/or thickness maps. Both Chemical Mapping and QUANTITEM are restricted to systems with atoms residing entirely on coherent lattices. 1.
PRINCIPLE
High-resolution lattice imaging is characterized by a highly nonlinear relationship between the image intensity distribution I(x, y ) and the sample projected potential P(x, y ) that may generally be described by’ I(x9 Y ) = W ( x , Y ) , Si)
where Sidenotes all the imaging parameters (defocus, accelerating voltage, etc.); F is a complicated, and in general unknown function, which relates the image intensity to the sample projected potential. In this description, changing the imaging conditions moves one to a different region of the function F . For a single image, obtained under a particular set of imaging conditions,
I(.% y )
=
WYx, yx S 3
or in other words
I(& y )
=
F”(P(x,y))
‘Strictly speaking, this relics on the projected potential approximation, in which the “vertical” position of an atom within a column is considered immaterial (see Spence, 1988).
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Real-space analysis attempts to derive the function Fa from the information contained in the image alone (Fig. 3b), thus directly relating the image intensity to the projected potential. We are concerned here with the two real-space methods, Chemical Mapping and QUANTITEM. In the case of Chemical Mapping, the nonlinear relationship between the projected potential and the intensity distribution is used to define chemically sensitive conditions. These select appropriate “operation windows” tuned to maximum sensitivity to composition changes, and minimum sensitivity to thickness changes. QUANTITEM, on the other hand, is applicable when such operation windows of enhanced chemical sensitivity are not available or are too small to be used in practice. More generally, as shown by Maurice et al. (1996), both methods may be viewed as limiting cases of a more general approach. The applicability domain for each technique must therefore be determined for each specific application.
2. IMPLEMENTATION To implement real-space approaches in practice, the lattice image is divided into unit cells, which extend over a small, integral number of crystal periods, each containing an equal number of atom-columns. The intensity distribution within each image unit cell is digitized at N pixels; N must be sufficiently large to retain the information content of the image, that is, following Shannon’s sampling theorem, the pixel frequency has to be at least twice the highest spatial frequency contained in the image (Shannon, 1948; Ourmazd et a]., 1990). For semiconductor materials, the unit cells are typically sampled at about 30 x 30 pixels. The information content of every image unit cell is then represented by a multidimensional vector with the N intensities as its components. The vectorization consists of making a list of the N ( e g , 900) gray values, which together constitute the components of an N-dimensional vector (Fig. 4). Within each unit cell, the parameters of interest (thickness, composition) are assumed to remain constant. Local changes of properties such as composition and thickness change the image, and hence “move” the corresponding unit cell vectors. The path of these vectors relates the changes in the image to the projected potential. If this link (effectively the function F“) can be quantitatively determined, the associated sample property, as well as the corresponding uncertainty, can be measured. Although the dimensionality of the vectors is generally high ( N > loo), the vectors can usually be adequately represented by linear combination of a few basis vectors, each representing an image pattern. A general image vector can then be represented by its components along these
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FIG.4. Schematic represcntation of how the information content of a lattice image can be encoded into a series of multidimensional vectors. The lattice image (a) is divided into image unit cells (b). The intensity distribution in each unit cell is digitized at N pixels (c). A multidimensional vector R is formed by taking the N intensity values as its components.
basis vectors. The path can then be represented in a space with dimensionality much smaller than N , in many cases, 2, 3, or 4 (Schwander et al., 1993; Kisielowski et a/., 1995; Schwander and Schneider, 1996; Maurice et a/., 1996). Chemical Mapping and QUANTITEM are tools to study the path traced out in multidimensional space by the vector tip of the image unit cell within the field of view. Alternatively, QUANTITEM attempts to determine the path F”, while Chemical Mapping finds conditions under which F” is particularly simple. Chemical Mapping requires the presence of chemical reflections and operation within “chemical mapping windows.” Under such circumstances, the path may be easily parameterized in terms of composition. For systems without chemical reflections, the path can often be approximated by relatively simple curves or surfaces. Indeed, for many materials and zone axes, the path is nearly an ellipse. This stems from the physics of dynamical scattering and the process of image formation. It can be understood by establishing a link between real-space techniques using vector pattern recognition and conventional theory of dynamical scattering and nonlinear image formation. The current implementation of QUANTITEM determines this ellipse, that is, the function F O , for each image, thus relating the image intensity to the sample projected potential P. QUANTITEM allows one to measure the compositional and thickness variations in the absence of chemical reflections. As an important practical point, it does not require specific imaging conditions ( e g , defocus). QUANTITEM parameterizes the path in terms of projected potential or “reduced thickness” (thickness in units of extinction distance, see Section III.2.b). This allows one to map the thickness variations when the extinction distance (composition) is known, or inversely, the extinction distance (composition) when thickness is known.
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Chemical Mapping
A lattice image is sensitive to the “projected potential,” which is determined by the sample thickness and composition at each atom-column. A chemical lattice image is obtained under conditions that are maximally sensitive to compositional changes. When chemical reflections are present, operating windows can be found such that the “signal” is insensitive (to first order) to thickness changes over the field of view. In the absence of chemical reflections, the relationship between the image properties and the composition changes rapidly with thickness, making the operating windows very narrow. The TEM samples are wedge-shaped, with atomically rough surfaces, causing the sample thickness to change from point to point. This makes it difficult to operate within the narrow windows available when chemical reflections are not present. Chemical reflections, such as the 002 for zinc blende system, occur because of chemical differences between the occupants of the different lattice sites. When the electron beam enters a crystal along a low index orientation, a number of diffracted beams get excited, each of the beams corresponding to a reflection in the diffraction pattern. They are coupled together and with the undiffracted beam, and exchange intensity while propagating through the sample. To first order, this multiple scattering process may be viewed as the scattering of electrons from the undiffracted beam to diffracted beams, and vice versa (the so-called “pendellosung” effect). “Structural” reflections are strongly coupled to the undiffracted beam, and thus exchange intensity rapidly with increasing sample thickness. This intensity transfer is less pronounced for the more “weakly allowed” chemical reflections. Because of the pendellosung effect, at certain sample thicknesses the signal is insensitive to changes in thickness, but varies (to first order) linearly in response to changes in composition (Fig. 5). Moreover, the severe aberrations of electromagnetic lenses impart the character of a bandpass filter to the objective lens, whose characteristics can be controlled by the lens defocus. Thus, judicious choice of defocus allows the lens to select, and thus further enhance the sensitivity of the image to chemical reflections. A chemical lattice image encodes the compositional changes in the sample into changes in the local patterns that form the image mosaic. These changes can be quantified in terms of noise, and hence confidence level, to form chemical maps. A chemical map is obtained by assuming that an image cell of intermediate composition is a linear superposition of the end-point compositions. Thus, as an example, an image unit cell of Al,,,Ga,,,As is assumed to be a 40:60 admixture of the image unit cells of AlAs and GaAs. Technically, the image unit cell vectors of the endpoint compositions are either obtained from simulation or, preferably, from the experimental image
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0
50
100
150 200 Thickness (A)
250
300
350
FIG. 5. Variation of intcnsity with sample thickness and composition for (002) (solid curves) and (022) (dotted curves) beams in AI,Ga, -.xAs. Dynamical calculation for 400 keV electrons parallel to [loo].
itself by averaging over many unit cells in areas of known composition. The composition of an intermediate “target” image unit cell is determined by finding the relative admixture of the end-point compositions present in the target unit cell image. In order to determine this, we use the angular distance of the in-plum component of the intermediate image vector ( e g , of Al, ,Ga, 6 A ~ as ) projected on the plane defined by the endpoint vectors (Fig.6). By exploiting the angular position of the vector rather than its length as metrics, efficient noise reduction is achieved. Noise that affects the intensity distribution within the image unit cell effectively leaves the angular position nearly unchanged (Ourmazd et nl., 1989a). The validity of this approach has to be established afresh for each material system, that is, the operation windows have to be determined by simulation. This is dcmonstrated in Fig. 7, where the angular position of the image vectors from the templates (i.e., the “chemical signal”) is plotted vs sample thickness and A1 concentration in AlGaAs viewed along the [ I l O ] direction. For a broad range of thickness (150-25OA) the chemical signal is a function of A1 content only and changes almost linearly with composition. As an experimental example, Fig. 8 (bottom part) shows the composition change across a GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well as measured by Chemical Mapping (Ourmazd et ul., 1990). Composition is represented as height in
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FIG. 6. Determination of composition by vector pattern recognition. Simulated templates (image unit cell patterns) are shown for pure GaAs and AlAs and an intermediate composition of A1,,,Ga0,,As. The angular distance of the projection of the intermediate image vector on the plane defined by the end-point composition vectors is used as a metric Tor the A1 concentration measurement
AlGaAs
Value o f defocus : -250
Angstrom
FIG. 7. Chemical signal, that is, the angular position of the projection of the image unit cell vector from the end-point templates, as a function of composition and sample thickness. Note that over a broad range of practical sample thicknesses (- 150-250 A), the angular position is a sensitive function of A1 concentration only (dcfocus = -250A on a JEOL 4000EX electron microscope).
238
FIG. X. Top: Chemical lattice image o f a CaAs quantum well between its two AI,,,Ga,,,As barriers. Bottom: Three-dimensional plot showing the result of vector pattern analysis of the lattice image obtained by Chemical Mapping shown above. Height represents the local composition and gray scale changes represent statistically significant changes in composition.
the chemical map. The corresponding high-resolution chemical lattice image is shown in the top part. As demonstrated by Baumann et (11. (1992), the composition of individual atom-columns can often be measured with near-atomic sensitivity. To summarize, Chemical Mapping requires two essential conditions: (a) the presence of chemical reflections. This allows one to identify realistic operating windows, within which the image is essentially independent of thickness and simply related to composition. (b) The validity of the assumption that the image of a material of intermediate cornposition is a linear superposition of the images of the end-point compositions. In spite of these two seemingly restrictive conditions, chemical mapping has been applied to a variety of materials to yield valuable quantitative information (Section IV.l).
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b.
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QUANTITEM
In the absence of chemical reflections, it is not obvious how to distinguish changes in composition from changes in thickness; each affects the projected potential (Fig. 9). In that case it is not clear if chemical composition can be measured at all. For the illustration of the basic principle behind QUANTITEM, let us first consider a sample of uniform composition but changing thickness. This is usually the case in practice because TEM samples are always wedgeshaped and atomically rough. The basic idea is to determine the function F”(P) from Section 111.1 that describes the path of the image I with changing projected potential P or sample thickness. This function is obtained as follows. Each unit cell represents a random snapshot of the effect of the projected potential P on the image intensity I . These snapshots cover all values assumed by the potential over the field of view-precisely the range needed to relate I to P for the image at hand. Moreover, as we will see, the path is nearly periodic with sample thickness. The rate is given by the extinction distance corresponding to the periodicity of the “pendellosung”
FIG.9. Simulated lattice image of a Geo,2sSio,,5quantum well in a wedge-shaped sample. The thickness gradient runs at 35“ to the vertically oriented quantum well. Note that similar image patterns are obtained both in the quantum well and in pure Si (see circles), but at different thicknesses.
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described in Section III.2.a. Given the random snapshots represented by the image unit cells and their path rate with changing projected potential, the function F"(P) is entirely determined from a single lattice image, without knowledge of the imaging conditions. The path described by the tip of the unit cell vector can be determined by plotting the vectors representing the image unit cell over the field of view. The F" simply represents the curve that is described by the vector tips. This is graphically shown in Fig. 10 from data obtained from an experimental image of a wedge-shaped Si sample. The problem of calibrating this path in terms of (known) changes in projected potential can be tackled in different ways. Here we will concentrate on lattice images that are taken from high symmetry directions of semiconductor materials in the absence of chemical reflections. In this case a convenient parameterization of the path yields a path variable, which changes linearly with the projected potential. As an example, consider Si for the (110) zone axis. Figure 11 shows points each representing the tip of an image unit cell vector, as obtained from a simulated image of Si wedge-shaped sample. For thickness changes of up to 3/4 of the period (extinction distance), the path is well-approximated by an ellipse. This strongly suggests using the ellipse phase angle me as the path variable. Here, ae is defined by the relation X = cos and Y = sin me, where ( X , Y ) is a point on the ellipse plane. Figure 12a shows the dependence of the ellipse phase angle on the sample projected potential
FIG. 10. Lattice image unit cells and their vector representation R, for three diKerent sample thicknesses. The cloud of points represents the tips of the vectors (not shown), drawn from an experimental image of a wedge-shaped Si sample. The path described by the image vectors represents the function F", which relates the image intensity to the sample projectcd potential.
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SIMULATION At = 3.8 A
- ELLIPSE FIT
ty
Si 41O>
X = A cos @e Y = B sin @e FIG. 11. QUANTITEM analysis of a simulated image of a Si wedge. Each point is the tip of a vector representing an image unit cell. As the sample thickness increases in 3.8A increments, the unit cell vectors describe a path that is almost exactly an ellipse for thickness changes of up to 3/4 of an extinction distance (periodicity).
<100>0
0
0
0
0
-8
Qe 16 0
x=.lO
A x=.15
4
0 x=.20 X x=.25
0 0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.0
1.2
1.4
2 1.6
FIG. 12. Variation of the ellipse phase angle Qe with sample thickness t, normalized to the extinction distance <,simulated for (a) Si for three different zone axes and five different defocus values; and (b) Ge,Si,_, for different concentrations x. Note the strong overlap of the points, indicating a universal relation between the variation in Be and the projected potential in these systems, irrespective of sample thickness, projection direction, and lens defocus.
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in three different zone axes, at five different values of lens defocus. The ellipse angle Qe changes linearly with sample thickness at a rate given by the extinction distance. This remarkable relation between the sample thickness and the ellipse phase angle has a simple physical explanation. When the high-energy electron beam propagates through the crystal along a perfect zone axis, only a few eigenstates (i.e., Bloch waves) get excited (Kambe et al., 1974). It turns out that an ellipse is obtained exactly when two Bloch waves are excited (Kisielowski et al., 1995). As will be shown in Section 111.3 this holds to excellent approximation for semiconductors and low index zone axes when strong chemical reflections are absent. Therefore, the ellipse approximation has become the key to relate pattern vectors to projected potential in QUANTITEM based methods. . has two Now let us consider a random alloy such as Ge,Si, ~ x Alloying effects. First, the elliptical path described by the vector is changed. Second, the path rate, that is, the extinction distance is altered. To first order only the extinction distance is altered so that the vectors follow the same path. For small changes in concentration the vectors are confined to one ellipse and the Concentration only. This is demonstrated in Fig. 12b for Ge,Si, range 0 < .x < 0.25. The concentration is therefore encoded in the extinction distance. Because changes in concentration and thickness move the vector along the same path, these changes must be treated on an equal footing. Now we describe how QUANTITEM allows us to measure composition. Obviously, the effect of sample thickness must be taken into account as it may well change locally and over the field of view. We proceed as follows. As an example we consider the experimental lattice image of the Si/Sio.,5Geo.25/Siquantum well shown in Fig. 13a. First, we obtain the phase angle of the image vectors from the common elliptical path. The corresponding map is represented in Fig. 13b. From these data we fit a two-dimensional curve of the sample thickness in regions of known composition. We then use this model function to interpolate into regions where composition is not known. Then the sample thickness is known everywhere within the field of view. At a unit cell where composition is unknown, the effect of thickness is subtracted and the remainder associated with a change in concentration. Therefore the composition is determined locally at every unit cell within the field of view as presented in Fig. 13c. A modification of the approach has been suggested by Stenkamp and Strunk (1996). It takes the systematic change of the ellipse shape in the presence of large changes in concentration into account. It should be noted, however, that for small changes in concentration, due to the noise that is present in typical lattice images, usually only the effect on the extinction distance is detectable. -
J
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FIG. 13. (a) Experimental lattice image of a Si/GeSi/Si structure. (b) Map of phase angle
a@, which in areas of constant composition gives sample thickness. Note the significant changes in sample thickness in the Si region on either side of the GeSi layer. Inset: Schematic representation of the way QUANTITEM interpolates the sample thickness over regions of unknown composition, and separates me into parts due to thickness change and composition change, respectively. In practice, the interpolation scheme is based on a two-dimensional curve-fitting procedure. (c) QUANTITEM composition map of the quantum well. Height represents composition. The one-sigma (n) error bar is shown. Qe over the sample. Height represents
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3. GUIDELINES
The purpose of this chapter is twofold. First, it should help the reader to choose the optimal real-space technique, image condition, and beam direction for a given system. Second, it should provide some practical information on how to obtain good results from a quantitative analysis of highresolution lattice images. We restrict ourselves to the two special implementations of real-space methods, QUANTITEM and Chemical Mapping. Although a more general approach is possible in principle (Maurice et ul., 1996), it must first be established in practice.
Thickness Mups, Interfuciul Roughness. If maps of thickness or interfacial roughness, that is, the projected potential are of interest, QUANTITEM is the method of choice. In its present implementation QUANTITEM relies essentially on the ellipse approximation. Its validity must be established on a case-by-case analysis. As pointed out in Section II1.2.h, the ellipse approximation is exact when precisely two Bloch waves are excited for a given beam direction. The number of relevant Bloch waves can be determined numerically by a Bloch wave program for high-energy electron diffraction (e.g., Spence and Zuo, 1992). The results of such an evaluation for typical type IV and III/V semiconductors are listed in Table I. For each case, the number of Bloch waves with significant ( > 5 % ) intensity has been determined, and the corresponding simulated images analyzed by QUANTlTEM for thickness range of 3/4 of the extinction distance [a round-robin comparison of available image simulation packages has been initiated by Van Dyck and Op de Beeck (1994)l. The maximum error incurred by using the ellipse approximation is listed in the final column of the table. As can be seen, the error is less than 2.1 Yn for the Ge,Si, - x (type IV) semiconductors. For the Ga, -,Al,As (III/Vs) more than two Bloch waves are excited so that the ellipse approximation may not be justified. However, for the thickness range considered, the analysis reveals that the maximum error introduced is less than 3 % for an A1 content up to 0.4. Therefore it is established that the ellipse approximation is sufficient for most type IV and III/V semiconductors. However, we point out that each new material system should be evaluated afresh according to the recipe given in the preceding. Mupping Chemicul Composition. When changes of chemical composition are of interest, we may either use Chemical Mapping or QUANTITEM. Chemical Mapping requires the presence of distinct chemical reflections. They occur when compositional variations involve changes in the atomic occupancy of an ordered subset of the lattice sites. They are only present in
TABLE I APPLICABILITY OF QUANTITEM
FOR
SELECTED SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS P
Material
Orientation
Thickness Range (A)
Number of Bloch Waves I > 0.05
Intensity in Strongest 2 Bloch Waves
Extinction Distance
0.998 0.917 0.997 0.993 0.996 0.985 0.820 0.888 0.820 0.883 0.822 0.870
440 315 342 212 256 152 270 160 310 180 370 210
(4
Maximum Error
R ?I
m 0
1
~
90-397 42-196 90-394 44-197 87-240 12-90 60-220 46- 154 60-220 44- 160 60-220 50- 180
2 3 2
2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3
2.1 Yo 1% 1.8% 1.4% 1% 2% 2.5% 1.5% 3Yo 6'/o 7% 10%
2
246
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the lattice image when the atom-columns differ in composition when projected along the beam direction. This is the case in III/V semiconductors for projections along (loo), (110) but not along (111). The projection directions (100) are preferred because they contain the strongest chemical reflections. Then Chemical Mapping windows must be found that can be accessed in the experiment. This is achieved by image simulation based on multislice calculations of dynamical electron scattering and image formation (see, e.g., Spence, 1988 and Stadelmann, 1987). Finally, it must be established whether an adequate linear relationship can be obtained between the concentration range of interest and the angular distance of the in-plane component (see Section 111.2.~). In the absence ofchemical reflections QUANTITEM must be used. Here we refer to the section on the validity of the ellipse approximation above. As noted in Section II1.2.h, the chemical signal is encoded in the extinction distance. In order to obtain the best possible signal-to-noise ratio, the variation of extinction distance due to compositional changes should be as large as possible. This is achieved by choosing the optimal beam direction. For Ge,Si, --x the beam direction of choice is [I lo], as can be verified from Table I. It should be noted that although we restricted ourselves to two rather simple implementations of real-space methods, the chemical transition in both type IV as well as III/V semiconductor systems can be evaluated in most cases. One exception is AlAs for the beam direction [ l l O ] where a more general approach is required, as pointed out by Maurice et ul. (1996). In order to obtain good quantitative results from high-resolution lattice images certain technical prerequisites and skills are absolutely essential. The main important points are summarized in the following: Sample Preparation. High-quality sample preparation is necessary to keep the noise in the lattice images to an absolute minimum. Noise present in the image lowers the confidence level for any signal of interest. The noise stems mainly from amorphous overlayers created during the preparation procedure. Semiconductor samples prepared by ion-milling usually produce lattice images of poor quality (Ourmazd, 1993). Chemical thinning techniques can perform significantly better and are therefore preferable. An excellent technique that relies solely on chemical thinning has been developed for III/Vs (Kim and Ourmazd, 1994). However, for some systems, chemical etching cannot be applied due to differential thinning effects. Then ion-milling is often the only possibility. In that case we suggest a subsequent chemical cleaning step after ion milling. Needless to say, high-quality sample preparation is not only a prerequisite for QUANTITEM and Chemical Mapping, but for any type of quantitative HRTEM.
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Taking H R T E M Images. Several excellent commercial medium voltage (200-400 kV) high-resolution instruments are currently available. They have a point-to-point resolution below 2 A and sufficient electrical and mechanical stability so that high-contrast lattice images can routinely be obtained. Nevertheless, for quantitative analysis some special considerations have to be taken into account. We restrict ourselves to the two most important ones, namely, errors due to sample mistilt and degradation by radiation damage due to electron dose. Special care has to be taken when aligning the specimen zone axis parallel to the beam direction. In QUANTITEM a deviation from the exact zone axis will lower the symmetry so that more Bloch waves get excited. This may introduce a systematic deviation from the ellipse. For Sir 1001, for example, a misalignment as small as 1 mrad can lead to systematic errors of about 25% for the measurement of the ellipse phase angle, that is, projected potential. The alignment to the zone axis is carried out in the diffraction mode by monitoring the intensity of the diffracted beams on the phosphor screen of the microscope. The crystal is tilted until equal intensities are obtained for symmetry equivalent beams. This procedure is thus limited by the accuracy with which the eye can detect relative intensities on the phosphor screen. In practice, this procedure yields a misalignment of typically 0.8 mrad. In that case QUANTITEM allows for an optional correction that can limit the systematic deviation of the ellipse angle to less than 10% (for details see Kisielowski et al., 1995). Lattice images with larger deviations from the zone axes should not be analyzed by the methods outlined in this chapter. A procedure to identify lattice images with inadequate mistilts has been suggested by Schwander and Schneider (1996). Radiation damage can degrade the information content of the lattice image, or cause physical changes in the sample. Increasing the electron dose increases the noise present in the lattice images. Chemical Mapping and QUANTITEM deduce the information content of the image, including the noise. Thus the effect of increased noise due to irradiation damage is automatically included in the confidence levels obtained by the algorithm. The possible physical changes induced due to radiation damage depend on the particular system under consideration. To assess this effect we suggest analyzing a series of images with increasing electron dose obtained from the same sample area. The signal of interest is then observed as a function of the electron dose. As an example we refer to a study of the interfacial width in GaAs/AlAs as described by Ourmazd (1993). Real-space Methods Software. For quantitative analysis the images must first be digitized. A careful correction of any imaging distortions of the
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P. SCHWANDER et al.
digitizing system used has to be performed before applying vector pattern recognition. The image should then be resampled to remove moirt effects stemming from the incommensurate ratio of the image unit cell size to the pixel size. Software programs for Chemical Mapping and QUANTITEM have becn written in F77, to run on Silicon Graphics Workstations under IRIX. All the examples given in this chapter have been analyzed by either of these programs. They are available to academic and research institutions at no cost.
IV. Applications
After the applicability has been validated for a specific semiconductor system, either the real-space technique Chemical Mapping or QUANTITEM may be used to measure chemical composition and interfacial roughness with near-atomic spatial resolution and sensitivity. From carefully designed and v:ell thought-out experiments, high-level information, such as on the reaction of point defects, can be obtained. For a demonstration of the capabilities, a few examples are presented in this section.
1. DIFFUSION I N AlGaAs Using the Chemical Mapping technique described in Section 111.24 it is straightforward to make sensitive measurements of interdiffusion on individual interfaces. Semiconductor multilayers are increasingly used in materials of everyday life, such as C D lasers. One has to keep in mind that such layers are far from thermal equilibrium and thus represent highly metastable systems. For example, on crossing a modern GaAslAlGaAs interface, the A1 concentration changes by several orders of magnitude within a few lattice spacings. Intermixing can occur on this scale by direct exchange of atoms, or via interaction with an intrinsic defect, such as a vacancy, an interstitial, or an antisite defect (Ga on an As site, for example). Normally, the large energy barriers for atomic motion and the small equilibrium concentrations of intrinsic point defects prohibit significant intermixing at room temperature. However, thin films, whether destined for fundamental experimentation or for commercial use, are often subjected to processing steps, such as annealing, which can inject significant concentration of point defects. The passage of such defects through interfaces can cause substantial intermixing. It is thus important to investigate the stability of thin films against intermixing during typical processing steps. Here we discuss briefly the effect
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05
" I _ -
as grown annealed
03
02
7
0.1
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
€4
70
distance in Angstrom
FIG.14. (a) Chemical lattice image of an AI,,Ga,,,As/GaAs interface before annealing. (bj Composition profiles before and after annealing at 650 'C for 2 h. Each point gives the composition of a 100 A segment of an atomic plane. The error bars are smaller than the dots. The solid and dotted lines are solutions of the linear dilfusion equation used to fit the interdiffusion coefficient D.
-
of annealing on thin-film multilayers, highlighting those phenomena that are revealed by our microscopic approach. Such experiments consist of mapping composition profiles across single interfaces with atomic resolution, before and after appropriate annealing (Fig. 14). The interdiffusion coefficient D is then deduced by fitting the experimental data to the (linear) diffusion equation. In this way it is possible to measure interdiffusion coefficients as small as cm2/s, at individual interfaces in sampling volumes as small as lo-'' cm3. As an example, consider the intermixing of an AlGaAs multilayer. Figure 15 shows an Arrhenius plot of 1nD vs l/kT for three GaAs/Al, ,Ga, ,As interfaces, each at different depths from the surface of the multilayer stack. Remarkably, a change of 3000 A in the interface depth changes the interdiffusion coefficient by up to a factor of 20 (Rouvikre rt al., 1992). The depth of such a layer therefore strongly influences its stabiIity. This behavior has also been observed by Chemical Mapping in the HgCdTe/CdTe system (Kim et nl., 1989) and by other techniques (Guido et al., 1989) for AlGaAs.
250
P. SCHWANVER et al.
FIG. 15. Arrhenius plot of the interdiffusion coefficient D at GaAs/AIGaAs interfaces at three different depths from the sample surface (300A, 1500 A. 2800 A).
More generally, the depth dependence of interdiffusion is related to the injection of point defects from the sample surface during the anneal (Fig. 16). Such diffusion studies on the atomic-scale therefore allow the use of thin multilayered semiconductor films as microscopic laboratories for systematic investigations of the microscopics of point defect diffusion. As will be shown, the depth dependence of the interdiffusion coefficient may be used to measure and separate the formation and migration energies of a given native defect type. Such investigations are especially valuable for process control in semiconductor device fabrication in order to predict the diffusion phenomena that occur where intrinsic point defects play a crucial role. Accurate measurements of the formation (H,) and migration enthalpies ( H , ) for intrinsic point defects are thus of scientific and technological importance. To illustrate the theoretical and experimental state of affairs, we use the example of point defects abundant in GaAs during typical anneals in As-rich ambients. Theory indicates that the dominant defect species injected into n-type GaAs during anneals in As-rich ambients is the triply negatively charged Vtia. Quantitatively, the formation enthalpies H , f for point defects in GaAs have been calculated. However, standard diffusion experiments measure the total “activation enthalpy” Q = H , H , for defect diffusion, which includes the migration enthalpy H , . (Tan et al., 1991). Thus, quantitative comparison between experiment and theory has not been possible.
+
4 DEFECTPROCESSES IN SEMICONDUCTORS
251
As or Ga Ambient x
e
-
*
* .
*
*
L
FIG. 16. Schematic diagram, showing the injection of point defects into a rnultilayer system from the surface during an anneal. The concentration of point defects, and hence the interdihsion coefficient decay with distance from the surface.
Our measurement procedure augments an old approach with our new technique: it consists of injecting a selected point defect type by annealing in an appropriate ambient, and observing the broadening in series of marker layers, caused by the arrival and passage of defects from the surface. Specifically, the Al/Ga intermixing in a GaAs/Al,,,Ga,,,As multilayer annealed in an As ambient can be monitored by Chemical Mapping. Due to the high sensitivity and resolution of the technique, one can measure atomic-scale changes in the marker layers long before steady state is reached. This enables one to extract the formation and migration energies separately. To appreciate the principle of this approach, consider the diffusion of V,, introduced at the surface, through a sample containing a series of ideal marker layers. The passage of the defects causes intermixing between the marker and host atoms with coefficients
D
= C(Z, t, T )d
(1)
As defined in Alexander (1986), c(z, t, T ) is the V,, concentration at depth
252
P. SCIIWANDER er ol.
z, time t and temperature 7: In thermal equilibrium the defect concentration The interdiffusion can be explicitly written as (Crank, is c, = coe-‘Hf-7Sf’IkT. 1989)
where do, is a pre-exponential factor, ci the grown-in defect concentration; the other symbols have their usual meanings. The first term describes the intermixing caused by the vacancies arriving from the surface, the second, the intermixing due to the vacancies already present in the bulk before any injection from the surface. The experimental observable is the total intermixing at each marker layer, given by ALz = L2 - L2 o - {tanncal 0 D(z, t, T ) & where Lo is the initial width of the interface between the matrix and the marker layer. Due to lack of sensitivity and spatial resolution, experiments are usually carried out in the “steady-state” regime, where the erfc = 1 and c, >> ci. Under such conditions, Eq. (2) reduces to
Measurements in this regime therefore only yield the total activation energy Q. Chemical Mapping, however, allows one to measure D vs depth and temperature before steady state has been reached, when the full expression in Eq. (2) is operative. This yields each of the activation, formation, and migration enthalpies Q , H,, and H , separately. Following Eq. (2), the total intermixing at each layer results from two sources: the defects “frozen in” during growth and the defects arriving from the surface. A judicious choice of a cap layer thcrefore allows one to distinguish between the two. Experimentally, this requires the measurement of the intermixing at interfaces with different depths, annealed at differing temperatures in two sets of samples: one with an appropriate cap layer, preventing the penetration of vacancies from the sample surface, and one without a cap. A simultaneous fit of Eq. (2) to the measured intermixingnormalized to the time of the anneal- then yields experimental values for Q, H,, H,, and S,, respcctively. Table I 1 summarizes the results as reported system. Because a more by Rouviere ef al. (1992) for the GaAs/AI,,,Ga,,,As rigorous discussion of these results is beyond the scope of this chapter, we refer the reader to the more detailed review by Ourmazd (1993). To summarize thc results presented here: (a) Thin films of the highest quality are atomically rough. Chemical Mapping can be used to map such interface roughness in cross section at near-atomic resolution and sensitivity.
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TABLE I1 THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF V,, IN GaAs (REFERRED TO INTRINSIC MATERIAL AT PAS4 = lo5 Pa) ~~
Parameter Activation enthalpy Formation enthalpy Migration enthalpy Formation entropy Migration pre-exponential factor “Grown-in” V,, concentration Equilibrium V,, concentration
Symbol (Unit)
Q (eV) H , (ev) H , (eV) S,(k,) do, (cm21s) c, (cm 3, c,(crn-’) -
Value 5.1 +/-0.2 4.0 +/-0.5 I .I+/-0.5 33+/-5 3.9 x 10-4 1.2 x 10Ih 7.2 x 10l6
(b) Thin films relax during typical processing steps such as annealing or implantation, in ways often not encountered in bulk solids. The influence of thermal treatment on such thin layers can be investigated by Chemical Mapping on a microscopic scale for specific interfaces of interest. (c) Chemical Mapping is able to use thin films as microscopic laboratories to investigate the fundamental properties of intrinsic point defects. Nevertheless, careful design of such experiments is necessary and the interpretation of the results has to be performed under the close guidance of theory and in combination with results from other techniques and on different length scales. 2. DIFFUSION IN GeSi
The application of GeSi alloys as the base channel in ultrafast heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT) is expected to lead to promising advantages in future ultrafast semiconductor devices. Careful design of the Ge concentration profile and a high doping level in the base can lead to considerable advantages in terms of higher emitter injection efficiency, decreased base resistance, and reduced base transit time (see, e.g., Wolf, 1990). For a successful application of such devices with GeSi layer thicknesses of several nanometers, stability during typical thermal processing is of utmost importance. QUANTITEM investigations of interdiffusion in Si/SiGe layers at the atomic scale can therefore determine valuable input parameters for process modeling of such devices.
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The interdiffusion in GeSi alloys has been investigated by Gribelyuk et al. (1997). The Si,,,5Geo.,5 quantum well stacks with step-like deposited profiles and widths of 50A have been analyzed before and after typical annealing treatments in argon, oxygen, and vacuum ambients. Figure 17 presents concentration profiles of such a quantum well before and after annealing at 800 “C for 5 h in vacuum. The composition profile in the as-grown material reveals a compositional change that occurs within a few monolayers. The measured interdiffusion in the annealed material cannot be explained by a standard linear diffusion model, that is, with a concentration independent diffusion coefficient. Instead, the nonlinear diffusion model following D(c) = do exp( - Q/kT) exp(AQc/kT) was found to agree well with the experimental data. This model assumes both that the system is in equilibrium and that the activation energy of a defect mediating the interdiffusion changes linearly with Ge concentration c. It has to be pointcd out, however, that strain relaxation as typically measured by X-ray observations in such systems is not accounted for by this simple model. Moreover, the interdiffusion has been found to be depth dependent, indicating that the system is still in a nonequilibrium state. As a technical result though, these investigations confirmed that for typical thermal budgets involved in processing SiGe HBTs, the influence of interdiffusion on the final device performance is negligible.
0.3 C
.-c0
2 0.2
lr
C
8C
s 0.1 s 0.0 0
50
100 Distance [A]
150
200
FIG. 17. Composition profiles of a Si, 75Ge02 5 quantum well before and after annealing ( 5 h at 800‘C in vacuum). The profiles have been averaged over a distance of 400A along the SiiSiGe interface.
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IN SEMICONDUCTORS
It is also revealed that in spite of the high spatial resolution and sensitivity of quantitative real-space methods in HRTEM, the interpretation of diffusion experiments is in general not unique. In fact, the interpretation must be based on results from more than one technique and in any case be guided closely by theory.
3.
Si/SiO, INTERFACIALROUGHNESS
One major feature of QUANTITEM is its unique ability to measure (crystalline) sample thickness in samples of uniform composition at the level of one unit cell and at a precision approaching a few monolayers (see Table 111). In what follows, we describe how QUANTITEM can be used to measure the atomic roughness of buried interfaces from samples in planview, revealing topographic maps of interfacial roughness in Si/SiO,. Due to its key role in integrated circuit technology, the Si/SiO, system is one of the most studied interfaces (see, e.g., Helms and Deal, 1988). Microscopic roughness at this interface (e.g., MOSFET gate oxides with thicknesses below 100 A) affects the carrier mobility and device reliability. Valuable information on the atomic configuration of this interface has been obtained by lattice imaging in cross section (see, e.g., Goodnick et ul., 1985). However, cross-sectional investigation provides only a projected view of the interface. This is a limitation encountered whenever information from buried interfaces is required. QUANTITEM on the other side, measures the thickness of the crystalline part of the sample, with any amorphous overlayer adding noise. If the crystalline part is bounded by two identical interfaces (such as in a Si0,-Si-SiO, sandwich), or if one of its interfaces has known or negligible roughness, QUANTITEM may be used to measure the atomic configur-
TABLE 111 QUANTITEM SPATIALRESOLUTION AND SENSITIVITY
Material
Si
Ge0.25%75
Orientation
(100) (110) (111) (110)
Spatial Resolution
2.7 3.8 2.2 3.8
x x x x
2.7A2 S.4A2 3.8 A 2 5.4'4'
Sensitivity Typical
Best
15.0A 5.3 A 11.0'4 5.4 at% Ge
3.2 8, 2.0 A 3.2 A 2.3 at% Ge
ation of the interface of interest (Fig. 18a). Figure 18b shows a plan-view lattice image and Figs. 18c and d contain QUANTITEM maps of the particular SiO2-Si(100)-Si0, sandwich formed by chemical etching of the Si sample from both sides and subsequent formation of a native oxide. In the three-dimensional representations, height represents the local roughness of the two interfaces (top and bottom), viewed in superposition. Such roughness maps can be used to calculate the autocorrelation function that quantifies the spatial extent of interfacial undulations. In summary, QUANTITEM can thus provide plan-view maps of interfacial roughness for buried interfaces. These images resemble the topographic maps produced by the scanning tunneling microscope from surfaces. A combination of the two measurement techniques therefore can lead to an enhanced understanding of interface properties.
Fi
4 DEFECT PROCESSES IN SEMICONDUCTORS
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FIGUR 18.~ Continued.
V. Conclusions
Techniques capable of interrogating processes on microscopic length scales have entered the quantitative era, and have thus come of age. Although many problems remain intractable, important progress has led to hardware and software tools capable of routine application to important classes of problems. Here, we have shown how defect processes in samples with atoms residing on lattice sites may be studied by quantitative HRTEM to gain access to the important thermodynamic parameters needed for process control. We have focused on two existing implementations for real-space analysis of lattice images, QUANTITEM and Chemical Mapping. By making efficient use of the information contained in lattice images, they extract quantitative data with a minimum input from image simulation. Other techniques (see, e.g., Ultramicroscopy, 64, 1996) offer similar capabil-
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ities for other problem classes, for example, those involving extended defects or grain boundaries. More sophisticated implementations will evolve, but the yardstick for success will remain the amount of technologically relevant information that can be gained. The progress in recent years notwithstanding, we are only at the threshold of where we need to be in terms of routine application of sophisticated quantitative microscopic tools. The question is not whether we will succeed in making further progress, but whether we can do so rapidly enough to remain technologically relevant.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are grateful to many Bell Labs colleagues for extensive discussions, especially F. H. Baumann, Y. Kim, J. Rentschler, and L. Feldman. We would also like to thank A. Bourret, J.-L. Maurice, J.-L. Rouviere, W. Schroter, and M. Seibt for valuable contributions.
REFERENCES Alexander, H. (1986). Dislocations in Solids, Vol. 7, F. R. N. Nabarro, ed., Elsevier Science Publ. Co., Amsterdam/New York, 113. Bode, M., Ourmazd, A., Cunningham, J., and Hong, M. (1991). Phys. Rev. Lett., 67, 843. Baumann, F. H., Bode, M., Kim, Y., and Ourmazd, A. (1992). Ultramicroscopy, 47, 167. Baumann, F. H., Gribelyuk, M., Kim, Y., Kisielowski, C., Maurice, J.-L., Rau, W.-D., Rentschler, J. A,. Schwander, P., and Ourmazd, A. (1995). Phys. Sfat. Sol. (a), 150, 31. Coene, W., Janssen, G., O p de Beeck, M., and Van Dyck, D. (1992). Phys. Rev. Lett., 69, 3743. Coene, W., Thust, A., Op de Beeck, M., and Van Dyck, D. (1996). Ulrramicroscopy,64, 109. Crank, J . (1989). Mathemalics of Dijiususinn, Oxford Univ. Press, London. De Jong, A. F. and Van Dyck. D. (1990). Ultrumicroscopy, 33, 269. Coodnick, S. M., Ferry, D. K., Wilmsen, C . W., Lilienthal, Z., Fathy, D., and Krivanek, 0. L. (1985). Phys. Rev. B, 32, 8171. Gribelyuk, M. A. (1991). Acta Cryst. A , 47, 715. Gribelyuk, M. A. et ul. (1997). To be published. Guido, L. J., Holonyak, N. Jr., Hsieh, K. C., and Baker, J. E. (1989). Phys. Rev. Lett., 54, 262. Helms, C. R. and Deal, B. E., eds. (1988). The Physics und Chemistry o f S i 0 , and the S i - S O , Interface, Plenum, New York. Hillebrand, R., Hofmeister, H., Werner, P., and Gosele, U. (1995). Phys. Rev. Lett., 67, 1763. Hirsch, P. B., Howie, A., Nicholson, R. B., Pashley, D. W., and Whelan, M. J. (1965). Electron Microscopy of Thin Crystuls, Butterworths, London. Hofmann. D. and Emst, F. (1994). Ultramicroscopy, 53, 205. Kambe, K., Lehmpfuhl, G., and Fujimoto, F. (1974). Z. Naturforsch., 29a, 1034. Kim, Y., Ourmazd. A,, Bode, M., and Feldman, R. D. (1989). Phys. Reo. Lett., 63, 636. Kim, Y. and Ourrnazd, A. (1994). Proc. of the 13th International Congress on Electron Microscopy, Paris, 1017.
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King, W. E. and Campbell, G. H. (1993). Ultramicroscopy, 51, 128. Kirkland, E. (1984). Ultramicroscopy, 15, 151. Kirkland, E., Siege], B. M., Uyeda, N., and Fujiyoshi, Y. (1985). Ultramicroscopy, 17, 87. Kisielowski, C., Schwander, P., Baumann, F. H., Seibt, M., Kim, Y., and Ourmazd, A. (1995). Ultramicroscopy, 58, 131. Lentzen, M. and Urban, K. (1996). Ultramicroscopy, 62, 89. Lichte, H. (1986). Ultramicroscopy, 20, 293. Lichte, H. (1991). Electron Image Plane O j - A x i s Holography of Atomic Structures, T. Mulvey and T. R. Sheppard, eds., Ado. in Opt. and Electr. Micr., Vol. 12, Academic Press, New York, 25. Maurice, J. L., Schwander, P., Baumann, F. H., and Ourmazd, A. (1997). Ultramicroscopy, 68, 149. Mobus, G. and Riihle, M. (1994). Ultramicroscopy, 56, 54. Orchowski, A,, Rau, W. D., and Lichte, H. (1995). Phys. Rev. Lett., 74, 399. Ourmazd, A. and Spence, J. C. H. (1987). Nature, 329, 6138. Ourmazd, A,, Taylor, D. W., Bode, M., and Kim, Y. (1989a). Science, 246, 1571. Ourmazd, A,, Taylor, D. W., Cunningham, J., and Tu, C. W. (1989b). Phys. Rev. Lett., 62,933. Ourmazd, A,, Baumann, F. H., Bode, M., and Kim, Y. (1990). Ultramicroscopy, 34,237. Ourmazd, A. (1993). Materials Science Reports, 9, 201. Rouviere, J.-L., Kim, Y., Cunningham, J., Rentschler, J. A,, and Ourmazd, A. (1992). Phys. Rev. Leu., 68, 2798. Scheerschmidt, K. and Knoll, F. (1994). Phys. Stat. Sol. (a), 146, 491. Schiske, P. (1968). Proc. o j t h e 4th European Congress on Microscopy, Rome, Vol. 1, 145. Schwander, P., Kisielowski, C., Seibt, M., Baumann, F. H., Kim, Y., and Ourmazd, A. (1993). Phys. Rev. Lett., 71, 4150. Schwander, P. and Schneider, J.-M. (1996). Proc. ojthe 11th European Congress on Microscopy, Dublin. Seitz, H., Seibt, M., Baumann, F. H., Ahlborn, K., and Schroter, W. (1995). Phys. Stat. Sol. (a), 150, 625. Shannon, C. E. (1948). Bell System Tech. J . , 27, 379. Spence, J. C. H. (1 988). Experimental High-Resolution Electron Microscopy, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Spence, J. C. H. and Zuo, J. M. (1992). Electron Microdifraction, Plenum Press, New York-London. Stadelmann, P. A. (1987). Ultramicroscopy, 21, 131. Stenkamp, D. and Jager, W. (1993). Ultramicroscopy, 50, 321. Stenkamp, D. and Strunk, H. P. (1996). Appl. Phys. A , 62, 369. Tan, T. Y., Gosele, U., and Yu, S. (1991). Crit. Rev. Solid State Phys. Muter. Sci.,17, 47. Thust, A. and Urban, K. (1992). Ultramicroscopy, 45, 23. Ultramicroscopy, 64 (1996). IA Exit Wave Reconstruction. Van Dyck, D., Danckaert, J., Coenc, W., Selderslaghs, E., Broddin, D., Van Landuyt, J., and Amelinckx, S. (1 989). Computer Simulation of Electron Microscope Diyraction and Images, W. Krakow and M. O’Keefe, eds., The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, 107. Van Dyck, D. and Op de Beeck, M. (1993). Optik, 93, 103. Van Dyck, D. and Op de Beeck, M. (1994). Ultramicroscopy, 55, 435. Walther, T. and Gerthsen, D. (1993). Appl. Phys. A , 57, 393. Wolf, S. (1990). Silicon Processing for the W S I Era, Vol. 2, Process Integration, Lattice Press, Sunset Beach, California.
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SEMICONDUCTORS A N D SEMIMETALS. VOL. 51B
CHAPTER5
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy of Defects in Semiconductors Nikos D . Jager L A W R F NBERKELEY ~E NATIONAL LAHORATORY BPKKELEY. C ' A l IhOKNlA
Eicke R . Weber MATERIALS Si'ltNCE D E P A R T M ~ N T U N I V ~ K S OF I T CALIFORNIA Y AT BERKELEY
.
B ~ R Kt YN CALIFORNIA
1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . Cross-sectionrilScunnirig Tunneling Microscopy ( X S T M ) . . . . . . . . . 2. Requirernents and Limitrttions qf X S T M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. IMAGINCIANUSPECTROSCOPlCTECHNIQUES, INSTKUMENTATlON . . . . . . . . I . Scunning Tunneling Microscopy Busics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Cross-sertionul Scanning Tunneling Microscopy ( X S T M ) . . . . . . . . . 111. THEGaAs( 110) SURFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV . SHALLOW DE~ECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . p-Duptints in GaAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. S i i n GuAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Dopunt Profiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V . DEEPLEVELDEFECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Arsenic Antisite in GaAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Vucuncies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V1 . COMPLEX DEFECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . Zn- Vucancy Defect Complexes in InP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Arsenic Clusters in LT-GuAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Cornpensution Merliunistns in Si-Doped GuAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII . CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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26 1 Copyright 1 . 1999 by Acadrmic Press All rights of reproduction in any form reserved ISBN 0-12-752165-8 ISSN 0080-8784 $30.00
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NIKOS D. JAGERAND EICKER. WEBER 1. Introduction
1. CROSS-SECTIONAL SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
The identification of lattice defects in semiconductors has been a difficult task, as it was necessary to rely on the interpretation of rather complex and indirect spectroscopic met hods, such as electron paramagnetic resonance or localized vibrational mode spectroscopy. The chapters of G. Watkins (EPR) and M. Stavola in volumes 51A and 52 document this difficult task and the remarkable success achieved in many cases. Direct observation of point-like defects by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy is still elusive due to the typical sample thickness of about lOnm, corresponding to -50 lattice planes in the beam direction. Scanning probe methods (SPM), especially scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) offer the required atomic resolution, but only for the sample surface, and not for defects embedded in the bulk of the material. Therefore it is not surprising that, since its invention by Binning and Roher (1982), SPM has been used mainly for the study of surface science problems such as surface reconstruction or atomic adsorption or desorption processes. The surface preparation, typically involving a high-temperature heat treatment to prepare an atomically clear surface, prevented the extrapolation of conclusions from frequently observed surface point-like defects such as missing atoms- vacancies- to their bulk counterparts. In the following it will be shown that the advent of cross-sectional STM (XSTM) using surfaces of semiconductor crystals created by in situ cleavage in UHV has changed this situation and allowed for the first time the direct imaging of individual defects. This exciting new technique has confirmed in most cases the conclusions about their identity obtained by spectroscopic techniques, and also provided generally valuable additional insights, for example, in the case of the arsenic-antisite (EL2) defect (Feenstra rt ul., 1993a) and the compensation of high donor concentrations (Domke et al., 1996). It is obvious that this direct approach to the study of defects in semiconductors will have an exciting impact on this field. Cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (XSTM) is a tool that extends STMs unique power, the atomic scale study of the geometric and the electronic structure of surfaces in real space, to the probing of bulkrelated features such as bulk defects. With the downscaling of semiconductor devices, knowledge of the properties of individual defects becomes increasingly important. It will become necessary to control the distribution of dopants on the atomic scale. Also, more scientific interest will be focused on
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the properties of individual defects vs their behavior in a statistical distribution. Most conventional defect-probing techniques such as SIMS, TEM, and EPR lack the resolution and/or operate in k-space. Thus the properties obtained are in fact averaged over several atoms. The following examples of shallow and deep-level defects in semiconductors demonstrate how crosssectional STM and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) can be applied to the study of atomic-scale properties and distributions of defects.
AND LiMITATIONS OF CROSS-SECTIONAL 2. REQUIREMENTS SCANNING TUNNELING M i CRosCoP Y (XSTM)
In tandem with its unique power XSTM also has its limitations. The ultimate goal, to reveal bulk properties, is overshadowed by the fact that STM is a surface probing technique. Also, while revealing the atomic-scale electronic structure of a defect in a matrix, STM lacks the ability to chemically identify the atoms imaged. The first problem can be overcome when the surface is unreconstructed and has no states in the fundamental bandgap (i.e., it is unpinned) and thus it does not obstruct states of geometrically deeper-lying defects. The (1 10) surface of most 111-V semiconductors, aside from some buckling, does not reconstruct and the surface dangling bond states are outside the bulk bandgap. This “natural passivation” allows imaging of individual defects, which can be up to five layers below the surface. Silicon has dangling bond states within the bandgap; thus it has no unpinned surface. Therefore, surface passivation becomes essential (Johnson et al., 1992; Yu et al., 1992). While the STM image and spectroscopic information derived from current-voltage characteristics can give hints about the nature of an observed feature, for identification purposes it is more direct to relate the number of features seen on or near the surface to a known bulk concentration determined by macroscopic spectroscopic techniques. A high concentration, preferably greater than l O I 7 cmP3,is desired to easily locate, study, and unambiguously identify the defects. Further requirements are a clean surface and conducting samples. As in every modern surface science study, a well defined, atomically flat, and uncontaminated surface must first be prepared. For XSTM this is typically done by cleaving the sample in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) and then imaging the freshly exposed surface. Due to its nature, STM requires highly conducting samples. However, recently Jager et al. (1997) presented STM images of semi-insulating GaAs.
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3. HISTORY Only three years after the invention of STM, Feenstra and Fein (1985) presented the first cross-sectional STM studies of the GaAs( 1 10) surface cleaved in UHV. In this work they already showed the first images of “surface point defects.” However, apart from excluding dislocations as the origin of the depression they imaged, they could not identify the defect. Cox et al. (1990a) imaged dislocations with an electrically neutral core and made the first attempt to identify the depressions in the As and G a sublattice as surface vacancies (Cox et al., 1990b). At about the same time Whitman et ul. (1990) saw point defects on the InSb surface. The most systematic study on the issue was then presented by Lengel et ul. (1993, 1994). By carefully investigating the symmetry of these cleavage-induced defects, the authors found that arsenic vacancies predominate on p-type material whereas gallium vacancies predominate on n-type. Ebert et al. (1992) ascertained the identity of cleavage-induced phosphorus vacancies on InP(110) and G a P (Ebert and Urban, 1993a) by excluding other possibilities and showed the structural relaxation around anion vacancies on InP(110) and Gap( I 10) surfaces (Ebert et d., 1994). Meanwhile, Johnson et al. (1993a) and Zheng et al. (1994a) identified the first bulk defects. Symmetry and defect concentration arguments were used to identify Be and Zn dopants in p-type GaAs and Si donors in n-type GaAs, respectively. Both works showed not just dopants in the top surface layer, but up to 5 atomic planes deep, that is, they proved XSTMs three-dimensional imaging capability. Feenstra et al. (1993a) overcame a real challenge posed by the fact that the number of bulk defects appearing on the surface in a typical STM window size of less than 1 pmz is usually rather small. This makes it hard to find and identify them by comparing the concentration seen on the surface to the known concentration in the bulk. They studied an epilayer of low-temperature grown CaAs (LT-GaAs). This LT-GaAs layer had been known to contain about 1 x 10’’ cm- arsenic-antisite related defects. Using the lateral motion capability of their instrument, as had Albrektsen et al. (1990), they could position the tip on the epilayer close to the edge of the sample. Counting and spectroscopic information obtained by a technique called “scanning tunneling spectroscopy” (Feenstra et al., 1987a) identified the defect. Using symmetry arguments the authors were even able to show that it was the isolated arsenic-antisite defect they were imaging. This real-space direct imaging settled a decade-old debate as to whether the EL2 deep level, commonly found in semi-insulating bulk GaAs, is an isolated arsenic atom sitting on a gallium site or a defect complex involving a n arsenic antisite and an As interstitial (see Kaminska and Weber, 1993; Baraff 1992; and references therein).
5 SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 265
Dopant profiling and concentration determination was introduced by Feenstra et ul. (1992), Gwo et al. (1992), and Johnson et al. (1993b). Feenstra et al. (1992) showed XSTMs superior resolution in dopant concentration determination over SIMS and confirmed the possibility of Si donor activation in MBE-grown GaAs above its bulk doping limits (Vaterlaus et al., 1993) in the spectroscopy mode. Johnson et al. (1993b) counted the dopant atoms and compared this to SIMS measurements, leading them into the investigation of &doping (Johnson et ul., 1995). Many more studies of defects in semiconductors have been performed with XSTM. There is detailed work on vacancy migration (Ebert et a/., 1993b; Gwo et al., 1993; Lengel, 1996), studies of their formation on InP and GaAs(ll0) by Langmuir evaporation as a function of time and temperature (Ebert et ul., 1995) and their mutual interaction potential (Ebert et ul., 1996a). Further XSTM investigations have included complex defects like arsenic clusters (Feenstra et al., 1993b) and dopant vacancy dipoles (Ebert et al., 1996b), which can be used for charge state determination (Chao et a/., 1996). Noteworthy is the investigation by Domke et al. (1996). By combining knowledge of the various defects in GaAs, they identified the compensation mechanisms in Si-doped GaAs in a systematic XSTM study. They statistically determined that, with increasing Si concentration, the SiGa donors are consecutively electrically deactivated by SiAs acceptors, Si clusters, and SiGa-VGacomplexes. Correlation of these data with positron annihilation studies illustrated the potential in linking XSTMs microscopic identification capability to traditional techniques (Gebauer et al., 1997). In that case a shallow positron trap was identified as SiAsand Si clusters, and a deep positron trap as SiGd-VG,complex. As instruments become available more research will be done at low temperatures (van der Wielen et al., 1996) and tip-induced luminescence will directly give spectroscopic information on the atomic scale (Samuelson et al., 1992; Pfister et al., 1994). Closely related to the study of defects with XSTM is the investigation of heterostructure interfaces (Albrektsen et al., 1990; Zheng et al., 1994b). However, the scope of this chapter is a discussion of point-like defects in III-V compound semiconductors.
TI. Imaging and Spectroscopic Techniques, Instrumentation 1. SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY BASICS
Scanning tunneling microscopy utilizes the quantum mechanical tunneling effect to produce atomic scale images of a surface. A metallic tip-ideally
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D. JAGERAND EICKER. WEBER
one atom pointed -is brought into close proximity ( - 5-15 A) with a conducting surface of interest. Electron wavefunctions can penetrate the remaining vacuum barrier. By applying a voltage between the sample and the tip a tunneling current flows. This current is in first approximation exponentially dependent on the distance between sample and tip
Therefore the current varies by about one order of magnitude for a 1A change in distance. This relationship is what makes STM possible: the tip end does not really need a one atom point, but with a “rougher” tip end, one atom of the tip is closest to the sample surface and will carry most of the current. As this atom is scanned over the surface, the tunneling current serves as a signal. For actual technical implementation of STM, the tip position, bias voltage, and tunneling current must be controlled and suitable tips found. The tip-sample distance is usually controlled by a feedback-loop designed to keep the current at a given setpoint, while the tip is scanning over the surface. There are two basic modes of operation. In the “topography” mode, which is the most common and the only mode discussed here, the feedback loop responds sufficiently quickly that the current is practically constant; the signal recorded is proportional to the height of the tip while it is scanned across the surface. In the “current mode” the feedback is set to a slow response, such that fast variations in current can be seen and recorded while the tip is scanned. The average height is thereby kept constant. Typical operating currents range from 10 pA to 10 n A and voltages range from tens of millivolts for metallic samples to a few volts for semiconductors. The latter require a higher voltage, because the bandgap needs to be overcome. As a convention, the voltage is defined in this chapter as being applied to the sample relative to a grounded tip. The success of an STM experiment is very often determined by the quality of the tip. This quality is still hard to control, although much progress is being made. The tip points are generally fabricated by electrochemical etching and cleaned by electron bombardment or field emission. The most commonly used tip materials are tungsten and platinum. While Eq. (1) explains the basic operating principle of STM, the model does not work for typical corrugations in atomic resolution, which are only 0.1 to O S A . A more accurate picture of angstrom feature sizes is the “Tersoff/Hamann” s-wave tip model (Tersoff et al., 1983). Assuming a weak tip sample coupling and small voltages, the tunneling current is proportional to the density of states near the Fermi energy E , seen at the center of the tip apex radius Ft. Assuming only a weak dependence on the
5
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 267
transmission probability 7; a “topography” image actually reflects a contour of constant electronic density of states in real space with atomic resolution, which can be overlaid by structural features
For higher voltages, which are generally used for semiconductors in order to overcome the bandgap, all states between the sample and tip Fermi level contribute to the tunneling current
T(E, V) is the transmission coefficient for an electron with energy E at a given voltage I/: For positive bias voltage, electrons tunnel from the tip to states above the sample Fermi level, which are empty. The resulting image is called an “empty state image.” For negative sample bias one obtains a “filled state image.”
2.
SCANNING TUNNELING SPECTROSCOPY
Spectroscopic data can also be obtained with STM. The tip position is fixed and the bias voltage is swept, while the current is monitored. By using numerical methods or lock-in techniques, one usually evaluates the normalized conductivity (dI/dV)/(Z/V),which can be shown to be, in first order, proportional to the density of states (Stroscio et al., 1986; Feenstra et al., 1987a). Figure 1 (Feenstra rt al., 1987b) shows typical spectra acquired on p- and n-type GaAs(ll0); I/ = 0 marks the sample Fermi level position in the spectrum. Note the Fermi-level position for p-type near the valenceband onset (V), and for n-type near the conduction-band onset (C). Bandgap states were argued to be dopant-induced (D).
3.
CROSS-SECTIONAL SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY (XSTM)
While STM is generally a surface probing technique, the idea behind cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (XSTM) is to look at embedded structures, such as point defects or interfaces in the bulk of crystals that are revealed upon cleavage. To avoid surface contamination the cleave and
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NIKOS D. JACER A N D EICKER. WEEK 15
a
p - GaAs( 1 10)
C
A i
n - GaAs( 1 10) V c
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
SAMPLE VOLTAGE (V)
FIG. I . Ralio of the differential to total conductivity for n- and p-type GaAs, which resembles the density of states. The peaks are labeled as conduction-band (C), valence-band (V), and dopant-induced (D). Reprinted from Feenstra rt rrl. (1987b) with permission froin the authors.
the imaging of the freshly exposed surface are usually done in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) at pressures typically below Pa. Bulk properties of defects in semiconductors can only be directly obtained on an atomically flat cleavage surface, when the fundamental gap is not occupied by surface states. The (1 10) surface of most 111-V semiconductors fulfills this requirement (see Section 111). The XSTM systems are not just distinguished by a cleavage mechanism, but also by the ability to control the lateral coarse position of the tip. Although ingots are available, most semiconductor samples come in wafers only a few hundred micrometers thick. Very often it is not the substrate itself but the epilayers grown on top that are of interest. Therefore, a coarse positioning mechanism is required that can land the tip with better than 50pm precision on the sample and then move the tip to the edge of the sample. Therefore, the tip position must be determined. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) can obtain a 25nm accuracy, that is, the tip can be positioned right on top of the epilayer of interest (Salemink et al., 1994). With a good optical system the tip can be positioned 10pm from the edge
-
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SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 269
Regular Base or
Low Temperazure Stage
FIG. 2. Schematic of a “beetle”-type cross-sectional STM. The three piezolegs of the STM head are standing on a ramp, to which the sample is mounted. Before the head is lowered the vertically mounted sample sticks out of the ramp and can be cleaved by the cleavage device. Reprinted from Zheng et al. (1994d) with permission from the authors.
-
of the sample. Then the tip is moved in 1 pm steps towards the edge. When tunneling current can no longer be detected the edge is found and the tip is moved back to the epilayer. Special marker layers grown on the substrate before the layer of interest are often used as a positioning aid. For example, a series of p-n junctions or heterostructures provide a distinctive STM contrast. Various systems with lateral motion capability have been introduced (Smith et al., 1994; Frohn et al., 1989). Due to its relative ease of construction and excellent thermal stability, many groups use a design similar to that shown in Fig. 2 (Zheng et al., 1994d). This “beetle”-type STM is a freestanding head with three piezolegs and a scan piezo. The scan piezo is in the center holding the tip. The legs are arranged 120” apart on a circle, each standing on a 12O0-curved ramp. For coarse motion they are slowly bent and quickly stretched, causing their feet to slide over the ramp. Thereby the head can be moved laterally as well as rotated for vertical motion. Before cleavage, the head is pulled away from the ramps, such that the vertically mounted sample can stick out of the ramps. The sample is cleaved by a cleavage device coming from the side.
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NIKOSD. JAGER AND EICKER. WEBBR
111. The GaAs( 110) Surface
The (110) surface of most 111-V semiconductors is a model surface that demonstrates that the “atomic resolution” seen by STM reveals primarily an electronic structure rather than geometrical positions of atoms. The following applies in principle to most (1 10) surfaces of 111-V semiconductors, but will be explained with the GaAs(ll0) surface, which is most often studied. Immediately after cleavage, the pristine unreconstructed GaAs(ll0) surface is left with two half-filled dangling bonds per unit cell, one from arsenic and one from gallium. The arsenic potential is more attractive than the gallium potential. Thus the charge density becomes concentrated around the surface As atoms, leaving the gallium dangling bond empty. This charge rearrangement is accompanied by a structural relaxation. The As atoms rise from their normal bulk position, over the Ga atoms. This reconstruction drives the midgap dangling bond states of the pristine surface out of the fundamental bulk bandgap. The empty Gaderived surface states are driven into the conduction band (CB), and the filled As dangling bond states are driven into the valence band (VB), which leaves the (110) surface unpinned. Except for this buckling, the (1 10) surface undergoes no further structural changes, leaving it in a 1 x 1 registry (Alves et al., 1991). The charge redistribution causes the contour of constant density of states according to Eq. (2) to be significantly different for filled- and empty-state images. For positive bias, electrons will tunnel into the empty dangling bonds located at the G a sites; for negative bias they will tunnel out of the filled As dangling bonds. This was predicted by Tersoff and Hamann (1985) and confirmed by Feenstra et ul. (1987b). Figure3 shows empty- and filled-state STM images of GaAs recorded simultaneously. Note that only one maximum per unit cell can be seen and that the maxima positions shift ~ 1 / 3of a lattice spacing along the [OOl] direction and 1/2 of a lattice spacing along the [l-lo] direction, according to the different geometrical positions of the anion and cation. More recent studies point out that not only the As and Ga dangling bonds but also surface resonances contribute to the STM images (Ebert et al., 1996~).The shift of the maxima upon switching the polarity is typically seen for high (> 2V) bias. For lower bias (Jager et al., 1996), tip induced band-bending is responsible for the fact that only the valence-band minimum can be seen for n-type GaAs and that the registry does not change with polarity. For low-bias voltages and p-type GaAs, valence-band states are imaged and both sublattices can even appear simultaneously (Fig. 4).
5 SCANNING TUNNELINGMICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 271
FIG.3. The STM images of GaAs recorded simultaneously at sample voltages of (a) + 1. 9 V and (b) - 1. 9 V. (c) Top view of the (1 10) surface atoms. As atoms are represented by open circles and Ga atoms by closed circles. The rectangle indicates a unit cell, whose position is the same in all three figures. Note in the STM images that there is one maximum per unit cell and the apparent shift of the maxima between (a) and (b). Reprinted from Feenstra et al. (1987b) with permission from the authors.
FIG. 4. The STM image of p-type GaAs. The upper half was recorded at + 25 mV and the lower half at -25 mV. Note the two maxima per unit cell and no apparent difference between the two polarities. Reprinted from Jager et al. (1996) with permission from the authors.
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NIKOSD. JAGERAND EICKER. WEBER
IV. Shallow Defects The unique capability of XSTM, a “three-dimensional” imaging of bulk defects on the atomic scale in real space, was first demonstrated for shallow dopants.
1.
DOPANTS IN GaAs
Johnson et ul. (1993a) were the first to image beryllium and zinc dopants in GaAs. Figure 5 is a filled-state, constant-current 28nm x 28nm image
M i l
I : Arc., undcr i I
1
5
4
7 01 m c e ( A*
h
)
FIG, 5. The STM image of a (110)-cleaved, 5 x 10’9cm-3, Zn-doped Ga..j surface. The image displays 20 x 28 nm of the As sublattice taken with sample voltage -2.1 V and current 0.1 nA. Six type A hillocks, six type B hillocks, and one type C hillock can be seen corresponding to Zn-dopants at various depths from the surface. (b) Tip traces along the [l-lo] and [OOl] directions of a selection of the hillocks of type A, B, and C identified in (a). (c) Scatter plot of area under the [I-101 tip height traces (integrated intensity) for all hillocks. Reprinted from Johnson et al. (1993a) with permission from the authors.
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273
of p-type GaAs, displaying the As sublattice and ionized Zn dopants in the top several surface layers. The dopants appear as individual circular hillocks of about 2 nm in diameter. The authors advanced the following argument as to why the dopants appear bright. With negative bias applied to the sample the bands are bent downward, that is, the p-type dopants near the surface must be fully ionized and distort the local tip-induced band bending. Holes tunneling to the sample are attracted to the negatively charged dopants and thus see an enhanced hole-state density. This results in enhanced current, forcing the tip to rise to maintain a constant current. Thus the dopants appear bright in a filled-state image. The different depth of the dopants manifests itself in different sizes and symmetries of the hillocks as can be seen in the profiles along [OOl] and [l-lo] for three types of hillocks. Type A is in the topmost layer. It displays the brightest hillock and has two bright As atoms along [I-lo]. An active Be acceptor is substitutional on a G a site. Therefore, the center of the Coulomb potential responsible for the enhanced current is between the nearest neighbor As atoms along the topmost [l-lo] “zig-zag” chain, Thus an even number of surface As atoms must appear bright. The number of atoms affected is determined by the range of the distortion. Type B is Be on a G a site in the second layer. Its nearest neighbor in the topmost layer is only one As atom. This is why hillocks of type B are centered on one As atom along [l-lo]. Type C and even weaker features are dopants lying deeper. When one counts the number of hillocks in Fig. 5, one can find type A and B six times. This corresponds closely to the average concentration of five dopants per layer expected for the known bulk concentration of 5 x 10l9 ~ m - ~ . Empty state images of Zn are shown in Fig. 6 (Zheng et al., 1994~).The Zn dopants there exhibit a -4nm wide triangle protrusion with a (110) mirror symmetry plane, which can be used as a signature for Zn, because no other defect including beryllium has been reported showing such a feature.
2.
Si IN GaAs
In Fig. 7(a), SiGadonors in subsurface GaAs layers appear as delocalized 2.5 nm diameter protrusions superimposed on the background lattice (Zheng et al., 1994a). As can be seen from the profile and histogram in Figs. 7(b) and (c), at given bias the height and the diameter of the protrusions depend on the depth of the dopant. As can be seen in Fig. 8, the apparent height of any dopant is strongly bias dependent for both polarities and ranges from a tenth of an Angstrom to a few Angstroms. This supports the assumption that the contrast is of electronic and not of structural origin.
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NIKOSD.
JACER AND
EICKER. WEBER
Empty State Image, Sample bias= +20 V
FIG. 6 . A 200A square STM image of cleaved GaAs (1 10) at 0.5nA and +2.0V sample bias. Triangle-shaped features (A, B, and C) are observed, corresponding to subsurface Zn,, acceptors at different depths. Reprinted from Zheng rt ctl. ( 1 9 9 4 ~ )with permission from the authors.
The authors have argued that, for positive sample bias, the Coulomb potential of the ionized donor locally decreases the band bending and effectively increases the number of states available for tunneling, that is, the tip rises in a constant current image. The height of the protrusions decreases with increasing bias, more conduction band states can contribute to the tunneling current at high bias, and the relative effect of the perturbation of the SiGadonor is reduced. For negative bias, electrons accumulate at the surface. Although the Coulomb potential is now screened by conduction band electrons, it still perturbs the local band structure. A detailed quantitative theory for the contour formation mechanism has not yet been proposed. Si on a Ga site in the top (1 10) surface layer shows very localized features (Fig.9) (Zheng et al., 1994a), because the surface electronic structure is modified by the dangling bond, which introduces a localized midgap level. This level traps the donor electron and thus forms a half-filled localized dangling bond, which is imaged as a local maximum in a filled state image. The half-filled state appears dark in the empty state image, because it traps an electron and thus attenuates the current compared to the completely
5
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 275
0
40
80
Distance
120
180
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FIG. 7. (a) 250A x 250A STM image of the cleaved GaAs ( I 10) surface, acquired with 0.5 nA tunneling current at a sample voltage of - 1.5 V. Two types of features marked D (donor) and B (black) are seen. The D features appear as bright protrusions of different apparent heights. They correspond to Sic&,in various SUbSUrfaCe layers that enhance the local tunneling probability. Feature B is a vacancy. (b) Surface profile across the centers of features D and D’ in (a). (c) Histogram of different heights of D features acquired from many images of D features in a large area of a (1 10) cleaved surface demonstrating that Si donors up to five layers below the surface can be imaged. Reprinted from Zheng et ul. (1994a) with permission from the authors.
I
I
P
FIG. 8. The STM images of the protrusion region D in Fig. 7(a) taken with tunneling current of 0.5nA at various sample voltages. The sample voltages are (a) - 3 V; (b) -2.0 V; (c) - 1.5 V; (e) +3.0 V: (f) +2.0 V, and (g) 1.5 V. The topographic profiles along the [l-101 direction (indicated by the arrows) across the features are shown in (d) and (h). All images are 60 A x 60A in size. The varying height proves the electronic rather than the structural nature of the protrusions. Reprinted from Zheng er ul. (1994a) with permission from the authors.
+
5
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 277
FIG. 9. Images of a substitutional donor Si,, on the top layer of the GaAs ( I 10) cleavage surface. (a) Filled-states image acquired with 0.5 nA tunneling current and at -2.5 V sample bias. (b) Empty-states image acquired with 0.5 nA tunneling current and at +2.5 V sample bias. The location of the Si dangling bond state is marked by the letter A. The defect structure is localized to a couple of nearest neighbors. Reprinted from Zheng et al. (1994a) with permission from the authors.
empty neighboring G a dangling bond states (Wang et al., 1993). The simulated filled-states image is shown in Fig. lO(a) and the simulated empty states image is shown in Fig. 10(b).
3. DOPANT PROFILING
For semiconductor devices of the near future, dopant distribution will need to be controlled down to the atomic scale. Techniques such as secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and electrical techniques such as capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements provide average information over a certain lateral area and are limited in their depth resolution to about 2 to 5 nm. Johnson et al. (1993b) compared XSTM to SIMS and C-V measurements on Be doped layers with varying doping concentrations. Figure 11 shows such a comparison. Figure 1l(a) shows their intended growth plan, that is, the intended doping concentration, the points where AlGaAs marker layers were grown, the points of growth interruption to change the doping or to introduce a &doped layer, and the calculated band-structure. Figure 1l(b) shows a topographic STM image 100 nm x 50 nm in size. Atomic corrugation is observed but, due to the size of the figure, it is hard to see. The dark spotted lines correspond to the AlGaAs marker layer; the varying contrast from bright to dark and to bright again reflects the different doping of the layers. Individual dark spots are vacancies (see Section 111, p. 00) and individual bright spots are due to individual dopants. In Fig. 11(c), individ-
278
NIKOSD. JAGER
AND
EICKER. WEBER
(b)
FIG. 10. Theoretical STM images of Si at a Ga site (SiGa)in the top GaAs (110) surface layer. The bias for the images are (a) - 1. 2 V, and (b) + 1.9 V. Reprinted from Wang et d. (1993) with permission from the authors.
ual profiles at the positions indicated in (b) are given, while the solid line in Fig. ll(d) gives an averaged profile of (b), which is compared to SIMS results for Be (dashed line). In Fig. 1 l(e), the number of dopants appearing in a 10nm wide stripe of the XSTM image is counted (solid line) and compared to the SIMS analysis (dashed line). The carrier density obtained from the C-V data along with SIMS data is displayed in Fig. ll(f). From
5
SCANNING TUNNELING
MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 279
FIG. 11. The STM image of GaAs layers with variable dopant concentration and various depth profiles. (a) Calculated bulk-band structure for the intended heterostructure. In registry here, (b) shows the topographic image, 100 x 50nm in size, of the layers taken with a sample voltage -2.1 V and current 0.1 nA. The relative tip height is given by gray scale, from 0 to 0.2 nm. (c) Several topographic line scans across (b) along the [loo] direction (AIGaAs layers are vertically aligned); atomic corrugation is shown in the inset. (d) Line scan (solid) corresponding to the averaged line scan over the top half of (bj smoothed slightly to take out atomic corrugation and compared to the Be concentration measured by SIMS (dotted, right axis). (e) Dopant histogram determined by counting the white hillocks (dopants) in a series of rectangles across (b) (solid, left axis) and compared to the measured Be concentration measured by SIMS (dotted, right axis). (f) Be concentration (solid), A1 counts (dotted) and Be concentration (solid) measured by SIMS and dopant concentration determined by Polaron C-V (dashed). Reprinted from Johnson (1993b) with permission from the authors.
280
NIKOSD. JAGERAND EICKER. WEBER
these figures, the following can be concluded about the capability of XSTM for dopant profiling. The tip height is directly sensitive to the varying doping concentration. The tip height difference between a 1018cm-3 and a 1019cm-3 doped layer is about 0.1 nm. Individual active dopants can be mapped, thereby allowing the direct observation of dopant activity and distribution on the atomic scale. As a further example of the degree of profiling achievable with XSTM, measurements of Be &doped layers are shown in Fig. 12, from the work by
FIG. 12. The STM images of Be &doped layers. (a) The horizontal scale (300nm) is strongly compressed. Tunneling conditions: sample bias - 1.0 V, current 20 PA. The gray-scale range is 0.08 nm with a [OOl] corrugation of approximately 0.03 nm. Electrically active Be dopants appear as white hillocks approximately 2.5 nm in diameter and up to 0.05 nm high. (b) Enlarged view (54 x 31 nm') of the section of the two lowest &doped layers outlined in (a). Atomic corrugation in both directions is clearly observed, allowing dopants to be counted and their positions measured to the nearcst bilayer iii the plane shown. Reprinted from Johnson et ul. (1995) with permission from thc authors.
5 SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 281
Johnson et al. (1995). Figure 12(a) is a large-scale (300nm x 120nm) filled-state image of GaAs with four 6-doped layers incorporated. Note that the x-axis is strongly compressed. Figure 12(b) shows an uncompressed view of two layers. In Figs. 13(a)-(d) the distribution of dopants in the &layers along the [00 I ] growth direction is statistically evaluated. The intended width of these layers is, of course, one atomic row and the intended areal density is 3 x 10'2cm-2 for layer 1, 1 x 1013cm-2 for layer 2, 3 x l O I 3 cm-2 for layer 3, and 1 x 10'4cm-2 for layer 4. However, the XSTM image and analysis show that a &layer width of 1 nm is possible only for low areal densities (10'3cm-2). At higher concentrations, the Be dopants spread symmetrically within up to approximately 5 nm. The dis-
[WljGrowth direction
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--+
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0 30 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Peak height (x 0 0065nrn) IOOl] Position (bilayets) x 0 28 nm -20
-10
0
10
20
FIG. 13. Position-related histograms based on the STM images in Fig. 12(a). (a)-(d) Histograms of the [OOl] positions of the dopants counted for the &layers, with growth direction indicated. A Gaussian fit (dotted) is used to determine the average position (solid) and width of the distribution. The intended position of the &layer is a dotted vertical line. (e)-(h) Histograms of dopant height occurrence for the layers in Fig. 12. Horizontal scale denotes apparent peak height in nanometers. Note that the relative height is reproducible within a given experiment, but might vary slightly on an absolute scale because of tip-to-tip variations. Reprinted from Johnson el a/. (1995) with permission from the authors.
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NIKOSD. JAGER AND EKKE R. WEBER
tance between two dopant atoms is not randomly distributed, but a deficit of closely spaced dopants is seen. Taking this into account, the spreading can be ascribed to the coulombic repulsion between ionized dopant atoms. In Fig. 13, the intended position of the &layer is also indicated. The shift of the center of the dopant distribution can be explained by the presence of drift of the ionized Be-dopants that is driven by a surface E-field. Such an E-field can be built up by the pinned [OOl] growth surface.
V. Deep Level Defects 1.
ARSENICANTISITEIN GaAs
The STM images of the arsenic antisite (As,;,) presented by Feenstra et ul. (1993a) settled a decade-old debate as to whether the EL2 deep level, commonly found in semi-insulating bulk GaAs, is an isolated arsenic atom sitting on a gallium site or a defect complex involving an arsenic antisite and a nearby As interstitial (Kaminska and Weber, 1993; Baraff, 1992; and references therein). An isolated As antisite would have a tetrahedral symmetry, while a lower symmetry requires at least one additional defect. Figure 14 shows filled-state STM images of the EL2 defect at various depths below the cleavage plane. As expected for an antisite-related defect, the central core of the feature is on a gallium site, that is, the core is in between the As rows appearing in the filled-state image. The two satellites about 15 A away from the core give EL2 a fingerprint. Note that the only symmetry operation for all features present is a single (1-10) mirror plane passing through the central core. If the defect had a lower than tetrahedral symmetry in the bulk, this would -assuming random orientation - violate this rule. As no such violation is observed, the EL2 defect must have tetrahedral symmetry in the bulk. Details of the deep-level wavefunctions not previously known are shown in Fig. 15(a) [Zheng et a / . (1994e)l and compared to a theoretical model [Fig. 15(b)] by Capaz et ul. (1995). Spectroscopic data from the defect core for various background doping levels are given in Fig. 16 (Feenstra et uf., 1993a). A spectrum far away from defects would only show tunneling out of valence band states for large negative voltage, and into conduction band states for large positive voltage, similar to the spectra shown but without states in the bandgap. However, the given spectra demonstrate that the EL2 defects reveal, in an n-type matrix, their well-known donor state 0.5 eV above the valence band. In a p f matrix the Fermi level is lower and falls into a band of deep-level donor states. In a degenerately doped p-type matrix the spectrum depends on the
5
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS I N S~MICONDUCTORS 283
t
iio
-
1 nm
FIG. 14. The STM images of arsenic antisites in CaAs at various depths below the (1 10) surface. Reprinted from Feenstra et ul. (19934 with permission from the authors.
local environment of the defects. Coulombic interactions between neighboring AsGs defects strongly determine the states that the defect will exhibit (Feenstra et ul., 1994). The spectra also explain the contrast observed in the images. It arises from defect states in the bandgap. Spectroscopy on the satellites is identical to data taken on the core. This proves the satellites are due to extended wavefunctions of the arsenic-antisite core and do not originate from another point defect, which should locally show other electronic levels. In conclusion, the real-space direct atomic resolution STM data on EL2 are inconsistent with an additional As interstitial along [ l l 11.
2. VACANCIES Surface vacancies are the defects most often observed on the UHV cleaved (1 10) surface of III-V semiconductors. Their surface concentration is typi'~ (Cox et ul., 1990b) and they are created either cally 10'' ~ r n - ~ - l Ocm-2 by the cleaving process or over time by Langmuir evaporation (Ebert et al., 1995).
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N I K ~D. S JAGEKAND EICKER. WEBER
Fic;. 15. (a) l h e arsenic antisite in bulk n-GaAs showing dctails of the wavefunction. Figure lS(a) was reprinted from Zheng et al. (IY94e)with permission from the authors and Fig. 15(b), iheorctical model of the As,, was reprinted from Capaz et a/. (1995), also with permission from the authors.
Surface vacancies cannot be identified by counting features and comparing the number to a known bulk concentration, because on the surface they are also generated by the cleaving process, over time, and by the tip scanning. A correlation between observed depressions and vacancies can be made by excluding all other possibilities, in particular other intrinsic defects
5
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 285 I
I
I
I
6
4
0
2 0
-2
-1 0 1 2 SAMPLE VOLTAGE (V) = E-EF (eV)
FIG. 16. Tunneling spectra acquired from layers of LT-GaAs containing varying amounts of compensating shallow dopants. The valence-band maximum (E,) and the conduction-band minimum (E,) are indicated by dashed lines in each spectrum. An intense band of states arising from arsenic-antisite defects appears within the bandgap. The states of a bulk arsenic-antisite defect are shown in the upper part of the figure, relative to the band edges of spectrum (a). Reprinted from Feenstra et ul. (1993a) with permission from the authors.
and adsorbates. As the distribution of depressions is not homogeneous right after cleavage, and their concentration near cleavage steps is much higher than in smooth areas, one can exclude adsorbates as their origin, because adsorbates are expected to be homogeneously distributed. Charge-state arguments and tip-induced migration make antisites unlikely to be the cause of the depressions. A clear identification of subsurface vacancies is still missing. In GaAs the donor type-As vacancy (VAJ is found mostly on p-type, while the gallium vacancy (V,,) is mostly found on n-type material (Lengel et a/., 1993, 1994). The As vacancy appears in a filled state, that is, the arsenic sublattice revealing, image as a highly localized depression (-0.7 A), see Fig. 17 (upper left). In the empty-state, that is, the gallium-revealing, image, the V,, causes its nearest-neighbor Ga dangling bonds to appear raised about 0.7A above the Ga sublattice, but apparently does not induce a substantial lateral shift from their usual position (Fig. 17, upper right). Lengel rt ul. (1994) argued on the basis of tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations that the apparent rise of the G a dangling bonds is due to an
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NIKOSD. JAGER AND E I C KR. ~ WEBER As suhlaitics
(iii
sublat~icc
FIG. 17. Simultaneously acquired filled- and empty-state images of the arsenic (top) and gallium (bottom) vacancies on p- and n-type GaAs(ll0). A setpoint current of 0.1 nA and bias voltages of - 2.0 V, + 2.5 V and 2.5 V, 2.0 V were employed for atom-selective imaging o n p - and n-type material, respectively. Note the apparent symmetry in the topographic features ofthe defects on both types of material when the roles of the cation and anion are interchanged. [Similar to material from Lengel er ul. (1993); reprinted from Lengel et NI. (1997) with permission from the authors.] ~
+
outward relaxation of the Ga atoms in the nearest neighborhood driven by occupied defect levels. No in-plane shift is observed, because the unsatisfied dangling bonds do not rebond. Total energy minimization using ah initio pseudopotentials (Zhang and Zunger, 1996, 1997; Kim and Chelikowsky, 1996, 1997; Yi et al., 1995),
5 SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 287
however, suggest vertical inward movement of the Ga atoms next to the arsenic vacancy and rebonded geometries. These calculations explain the apparent rise of the Ga dangling bonds in the STM images as a pure electronic effect, rather than structural. It has been counterargued that, for an electronic effect, this feature should be bias-dependent to a degree higher than observed. In addition, no in-plane displacements expected for rebonded G a dangling bonds are visible in the experimental data (Harper et a/., 1997a, 1997b). The positive charge on the V,, induces a local band bending causing a weak (-0.15 I$), but more extended ( - 5 lattice periods) apparent “depression” of neighboring As atoms in the filled-states images, and an apparent “rise” of the Ga atoms in empty-states images. The positive-charge state of the As vacancy is also evident in the spectroscopic data taken on the vacancy (Fig. 18b) compared to the pristine p-GaAs surface (Fig. 18a). The defect band (D) from the shallow acceptors is diminished because of reduced band bending in the presence of a deep positively charged state (Lengel et al., 1994). The exact charge state is still an open matter (Lengel et cil., 1994; Zhang and Zunger, 1996, Harper et a/., 1997a, Kim and Chelikowsky, 1997), although the compensation of the local band-bending of a V,, by an singly ionized p-dopant is interpreted to strongly support a charge of 1 for the V,, (Chao et a/., 1996). The negatively charged Ga vacancies appear symmetric, with the role of the anion and cation reversed. They appear in the G a sublattice as a localized depression (Fig. 17, lower right), cause two bright As dangling
+
FIG. 18. (a) Spectroscopy of the pristine p-GaAs (1 10) surface (left) compared with (b) an isolatcd As defect (right). The spectra are acquired at two tip-sample separations (0,O) differing by 2.1 A (left) and 2.8A (right). Reprinted from Lengel et al. (1994) with permission from the authors.
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NIKOSD. JACER AND
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R.
WEBEK
bonds in the filled state image (Fig. 17, lower left), and induce an extended apparent depression of Ga atoms and an elevation of As atoms.
VI. Complex Defects COMPLEXES 1. Zn-VACANCY DEFECT
IN
InP
The XSTM can be used to investigate not only individual defects, but also interactions, such as the attraction between defects, and the resulting creation of defect complexes. After cleaving and annealing for 5min at 480 K, four main types of features can be found on the (110) surface of p-type Zn-doped InP (Fig. 19, Ebert et a/., 1996b): isolated negatively chargcd Zn dopants; isolated positively charged phosphorous vacancies (c); Zn-vacancy dipoles of various distances between the Zn atom and the vacancy (d)-(f); and Zn-vacancy complexes (a) (b), where the Zn atoms sit in closest proximity to a vacancy. Because individual Zn-dopants are negatively charged and individual vacancies are positively charged, they appear in filled-state images as extended bright protrusions and extended dark depressions, respectively. The extent ranges over several lattice periods. Figure20(a) shows a profile through a Zn dopant and Fig. 20(b) through a vacancy. The Zn-vacancy complex [Fig. 19(a) and Fig. 20(d)] is a localized hole that has the size of one missing phosphorus dangling bond, and one or two apparently raised dangling bonds. The complex shows no surrounding overall height changes, that is, it causes no band bending, proving that the
+
FIG, 19. Vacancy-Zn defect complexes and dipoles. (a) and (b) show two complexes, (c) shows an isolated vacancy for comparison, and (d) -(f) show dipoles with differcnt separations. Reprinted from Ebert er ul. (1996b) with permission from the authors.
5
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 289
lattice spacings in [ 17 01 direction FIG. 20. Height profiles through (curve a) a negatively charged Zn-dopant atom; (curve h) a positively charged P vacancy; (curve c) the sum of a and b showing the structural relaxation of the vacancy; (curve d) a charge-compensated vacancy (defect complex); (curve e) the sum of a and b offset by seven lattice spacings; and (curve f) the profile of a dipole consisting of a vacancy and a Zn atom separated hy seven lattice spacings. All linecuts have been measured with the same tip at -2.1 V and 0.8 nA. Thc profilcs were measured along the [-1101 direction (along the apparent atomic rows). Reprinted from Ebert et ul. (1996b) with permission from the authors.
complex is uncharged. One can also look at the complex as a (partially) charge-compensated vacancy showing only structural contributions to the contrast. This can be seen by adding the hillock caused by the negative charge of a Zn dopant [Fig.20(a)] to the profile of a positively charged vacancy [Fig.20(b)], which leaves only the structure of a vacancy [Fig. 2O(c)]. The apparent similarity to the profile of the complex Fig. 20(d) is striking. When one adds the profile of a Zn dopant and a vacancy displaced by seven lattice spacings [Fig. 20(e)], agreement with the profile of a Zn-vacancy dipole (profile f ) is found. If one subtracts the structural properties of a vacancy from a vacancy dipole, that is, subtracting profile d from f, only the electronic effect remains. The integrals of the charge accumulation and of the depletion zones in the dipole, which were obtained
290
NIKWD. JAGER AND EICKER. WEBER
by subtraction, are smaller than the integrated charge of individual defects, demonstrating the partial compensation. The compensation increases with decreasing distance until it reaches near completion for the complex. Chao et a / . (1996) used a similar method to determine the charge on an arsenic vacancy in GaAs. One can also demonstrate an attraction between the positively charged vacancies and the negatively charged Zn-dopants, because the spacing between vacancies and Zn atoms is not random, but an increased number of closely separated pairs, that is, dipoles can be found.
2. ARSENIC CLUSTERS IN LT-GaAs
The STM images of arsenic precipitates found in low-temperature-grown n-GaAs after annealing are shown in Fig. 21 by Feenstra et a/. (1993b). The LT-GaAs is grown at tcmperatures around 200'C, causing an excess As . annealing at -600 C gives the concentration of 10'' ~ r n - ~Subsequent material a high resistivity ( > 10' R-cm) and causes the As to cluster. The Fermi level is then found to be pinned near midgap. In the topography
FK;. 21. STM image of GaAs, showing (a) topography and (b) conductivity, acquired at a sampic voltage of -2.5 V. As indicated in (b) the structure contains a low-temperature n-type GaAs layer, surrounded by p-type layers grown at higher temperature. The sample was annealed at 600-C. Two steps occur in the LT-layer, as marked by arrows in (a). The bright protrusions in the LT-layer are arsenic precipitates. Reprinted from Feenstra et a/. (1993b) with permission from the authors.
5 SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 291 10
,
,
1 ~
GaAs LTA-n
I
I
I
,
,
I
,
j Ec
I I l 1 2 SAMPLE VOLTAGE (V) = E-EF (eV)
I
-2
I
i EV
I
-1
,
I
l
I
0
FIG.22. The STM spectra acquired from the low-temperature n-type GaAs layers, annealed at 600’C. Spectra are shown for measurements made on the arsenic precipitates (solid line) and on regions of bare GaAs in between the precipitates (dashed line). The valence- and conduction-band edges are marked by E, and E,, respectively. Reprinted from Feenstra (1993b) with permission from the authors.
-
image (a), As precipitates appear as protrusions of 158, height with a diameter of 50 A.In the conductivity image (b) they are shown by areas of high conductivity. Figure 22 shows a spectrum acquired directly from the precipitate (solid line) and, for comparison, at a position in between precipitates. The Fermi level is in both cases near midgap, although it is closer to the valence band edge on the precipitate. For the spectrum measured on the precipitate, one can also observe a considerable density of states in the bandgap. These results and depletion areas found around As precipitates support the idea that the high resistivity of n-type LT-GaAs may be due to carrier depletion around metallic arsenic precipitates (Warren et a/., 1990).
-
3.
COMPENSATION
MECHANISMS IN Si-DOPED GaAs
In highly doped n-GaAs the free electron concentration tends to saturate with increasing silicon dopant concentration. The origin of this effect was identified on the atomic scale by Domke et al. (1996). There had been
292
NIKOS D. JAcm AND EICKER. WEBEK
controversy over the cause of the decrease in the doping efficiency of Si at high concentrations. The amphoteric nature of Si [Si can be incorporated on a Ga site (SiGa)where it acts as a donor and on an As site (SiAs)where it acts as an acceptor] only partially explains the electrical deactivation of up to 99% of incorporated Si. Additional models have been proposed, such as the formation of Si pairs, Si clusters, and complexes involving Si and an intrinsic defect. The existence of a nonhydrogenic Si level resonant with the conduction band has also been suggested, among other mechanisms. Figure 23 shows all the different types of defects found on highly Si-doped GaAs( 110) samples with Si concentrations ranging from 2.7 x 10'' cm-32.5 x 1 0 1 9 ~ ~ nshowing 55-95%, compensation. Panels (al) to (el) show filled-state images, and panels (a2) to (e2) show empty-state images. Frames (al) and (a2) exhibit a gallium vacancy (see V.2), (bl) and (b2) a Si,, donor (see IV.2), (cl) and (c2) an Si,, acceptor [as can be demonstrated by its symmetry and charge state], ( d l ) and (d2) a Si,,-VG, dopant vacancy complex (see forementioned), and (el) and (e2) show narrow trenches along [l-lo]. These trenches arise from planar Si clusters on (111) planes intersecting with the [I 101 cleavage plane. Close to the trenches are dislocations (frames f). Counting the occurrence of all these defects in many STM images, their individual bulk concentration was determined. Figure 24 shows these concentrations as a function of the total incorporated Si concentration obtained by SIMS. The crosses represent the sum of all defects seen in STM, which matches the concentration seen by SIMS. Note that the number of vacancies and vacancy-defect complexes increases with time. In the figure the concentrations extrapolated to the moment of the
FIG. 23. The STM images of occupied (upper frames) and empty (lower frames) density of statcs uf the major defects on Si-dopcd GaAs ( 1 10) surfaces (with the exception of frame f2). ( a l ) and (a2) show a G a vacancy, (bl) and (b2) a Si,, donor, ( c l ) and (c2) a Si,, acceptor, (dl) and (d2) a SiGa-Vc;acomplex, (el) and (e2) the intersection line of a planar Si cluster, and (fl) a dislocation close to a Si cluster (f2 is a zoom of the occupied states of the stacking fault in fl). Reprinted fi-om Domke et a/. (1996) with permission from the authors.
5 SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY OF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 293
I
I
I
1018
1019
1020
incorporated S i concentration (cm-3) FIG. 24. The Si concentration present in the form of Si,, donors, Si,, acceptors, Sin clusters, and (SiGZ3-VcJcomplexes as a function of the Si doping concentration incorporated into the crystals during growth. The Si doping concentration incorporated during growth has been measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The sum of the Si concentrations determined for the different defects measured in the STM images (x) agrees well with that measured by SIMS (solid line). The horizontal error bars originate from the SlMS measurements. They should be applied to 311 of the respective data points. All vertical error bars show the reproducibility of the STM measurements. The data are based on more than 3000 observations or Si atoms. Reprinted from Domke et ul. (1996) with permission from the authors.
cleave are shown. It was extrapolated that the number of vacancies at the time of the cleave is negligible; it is therefore not shown, but there is a significant number of Si-V pairs at the time of the cleave. In conclusion, the figure reveals that with increasing Si concentration the concentration of Si,, donors is almost constant, while it is consecutively electrically deactivated by Si,, acceptors, Si clusters, and SiGa-VG,complexes.
VII.
Conclusion
The experimental and theoretical results presented in this chapter show clearly the extraordinary possibilities offered by direct observation of point-like defects in semiconductors with XSTM. So far, this relatively
294
NIKOS D. JACERAND EICKER. WEBER
young technique has mostly confirmed conclusions reached using other spectroscopic techniques. Although a solid theory of the contrast formation mechanism is still to be developed, XSTM already provides new insights, However, the success in deciding controversial questions directly on the atomic scale in cases such as arsenic antisite and the determination of the Si-dopant compensation mechanisms in GaAs give confidence that XSTM will play an increasing role in identifying defects in semiconductors.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT We would like to acknowledge the authors of our references for permission to reprint their figures and for providing originals. And we would like to thank Eve Edelson for revising the manuscript.
REFERENCES Albrektsen, O., Arent, D. J., Meier, H. P., and Salemink, H. W. M. (1990). Appl. Phys. Lett., 57, 3 I . Alves, J. L. A,, Hebenstreit, J., and Schemer, M. (1991). Phys. Rev. B, 44, 6188. Baraff, G . A. (1992). Deep Centers in Semiconductors, S . T. Pantelides (ed.). Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, p. 547. Binnig, G., Rohrer, H., Gerber, Ch., and Weibel, E. (1982). Phys. Rev. Lett., 49, 57. Capaz, R. B., Cho, K., and Joannopoulos, J. D. (1995). Phys. Reii. Lett., 75, 1811. Chao, K.-J., Smith, A. R., and Shih, C. K. (1996). Phys. Rev. B, 53, 6935. Cox. G., Szynka, D., Poppe, U., Urban, K., Kisielowski-Kemrnerich, C., Kriiger, J., and Alexander, H. (1990a). Phys. Rev. Lett., 64, 2402. Cox, G., Szynka, D., Poppe U., and Urban, K. (1990b). Vucuum. 41, 591. Domke, C., Ebert, Ph., Heinrich, M., and Urban, K. (1996). Phys. Rei:. B, 54. 10288. Ebert, Ph., Cox, G., Poppe, U., and Urban, K. (1992). UltrLimicroscopy, 42-44, 871. Ebert, Ph., and Urban, K. (1993a). Ultramicroscopy, 49, 344. Ebert, Ph., Lagally, M. G., and Urban, K. (1993b). Phys. Rev. Lett., 70, 1437. Ebert, Ph., Urban, K., and Lagally, M. G. (1994). Phys. Rru. Lerr., 72,840. Ebert, Ph., Heinrich, M., Simon, M., Urban, K., and Lagally, M. G. (1995). Phys. Rev. B, 51, 9696. Ebert, Ph., Chen, X., Heinrich, M., Simon, M., Urban, K., and Lagally, M. G. (1996a). Phys. Rev. Lett., 76, 2089. Ebert, Ph., Heinrich, M., Simon, M., Domke, C., Urban, K., Shih, C. K., Webb, M. B., and Lagally, M. G . (1996b). Phys. Rev. B, 53,4580. Ebert. Ph., Engels, B., Richard, P., Schroeder, K., Bliigel S., Dornke, C., Heinrich, M., and Urban, K. (1996~).Phys. Rev. Lett., 77, 2997. Feenstra, R. M. and Fein, A. P. (1985). Phys. Rev. B, 32, 1394. Feenstra, R. M., Stroscio, J. A,, and Fein, A. P. (1987a). Surj: Sci., 181, 295. Feenstra. R. M., Stroscio, J. A,, Tersoff, J., and Fein, A. P. (1987b). Pliys. Rev. Lett., 58, 1192. Feenstra, R. M., Yu, E. T., Woodall, J . M., Kirchner, P. D., Lin, C. L., and Pettit, G. D. (1992). A p p l . Phys. Lett., 61, 795.
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SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPYOF DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS 295
Feenstra, R. M., Woodall, J. M., and Pettit, G. D. (1993a). Phys. Rev. Lett., 71, 1176. Feenstra, R. M., Vaterlaus, A., Woodall, J. M., and Pettit, G. D. (1993b). Appl. Phys. Lett., 63, 2528. Feenstra, R. M., Woodall, J. M., and Pettit, G. D. (1994). Mat. Sci. For., 143-147, 1311. Frohn, J., Wolf, J. F., Besocke, K. H., and Teske, N. (1989). Rev, Sci. Instrum., 60, 1200. Gebauer, J., Krausc-Rehberg, R., Domke, C., Ehert, Ph., and Urban, K. (1997). Phys. Xeu. Left., 78. 3334. Gwo, S., Smith, A. R., Shih, C. K., Sadra, K., and Streetman, B. G. (1992). Appl. Phys. Lett., 61, 1104. Gwo S., Smith, A. R., and Shih, C. K. (1993). J . Vac. Sci. Techno/. A , 11, 1644. Harper, J., Lengel, G., Allen, R. E., and Weimcr, M. (1997a). Phys. Reo. Lett., 79, 3312. Harper, J., Lengel, G., Allen, R. E., and Weimer, M. (1997b). Phys. Rev. Lett., 79, 3314. Jager, N. D., Liu, X., Zheng, J. F., Newman, N., Ogletree, D. F., Weber, E. R., and Salmeron, M. (1996). Pr0ceeding.c.23rd Intwzutioncrl Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors, Berlin 1996. M. Schemer and R. Zimmcrman (eds.), World Scientific, Singapore, 2, p. 847-850. Jiiger, N. D., Toporowski, M., Salmeron, M., and Weber, E. R. (1997). Unpublished. Johnson, M. B. and Halbout, J. M. (1992). J . Vuc. Sci. Techno/. B, 10, 508. Johnson, M. B., Albrektsen, O., Feenstra. R. M., and Salemink, H. W. M. (1993a). Appl. Phys. Lett., 63, 2923. Johnson, M. B., Meier, H. P., and Salemink, H. W. M. (1993b). Appl. Phys. Lett., 63, 3636. Johnson, M. B., Koenrdad, P. M., van der Vleuten, W. C . , Salemink, H. W. M., and Wolter, J. H. (1995). Phys. Reo. Lett., 75, 1606. Kaminska, M. and Weber, E. R. (1993). Semiconductors and Sernirnetuls, 38, R. K . Willardson, A. C. Beer, and E. R. Weber (eds.), Academic Press, Boston, p. 59. Kim, H. and Chelikowsky, J. R. (1996). Phys. Reo. Lett., 77, 1063. Kim, H. and Chelikowsky, J. R. (1997). PIIJJS. Rev. Lett., 79, 3315. Lengel, G., Wilkins, R., Brown, G., and Weimer, M. (1993). J . Vuc. Sci. Technol. B, 11,1472. Lengel, G.. Wilkins, R., Brown, G., and Weimcr, M., Gryko, J., and Allen, R. E. (1994). Piiys. Rw. Lett., 72, 836. Lengel, G., Harper, J., and Weimer, M. (1996). Phys. Rev. Lett., 76, 4725. Lengel, G., Harper, J., and Weimer, M. (1997). Private communication. Pfister, M., Johnson, M. B., Alverado, S. F., Salemink, H. W. M., Marti, U., Martin, D., Morier-Genoud, F., and Reinhard, F. K. (1994). Appl. Phys. Lett., 65, 1168. Salemink, H. W. M.,Johnson, M. B., and Albrektsen, 0. (1994). J . Vuc. Sci. Technol. B, 12, 362. Samuelson, L., Lindahl, J., Montelius, L., and Pistol, M.-E. (1992). Physica Scripta, T42, 149. Smith, A. R., Gwo. S., and Shih, C. K . (1994). Rev. Sci. Instr., 65, 3216. Stroscio, .I. A,, Feenstra, R. M., and Fein, A. P. (1986). Phys. Rev. Lett., 57, 2579. Tersoff, I., and Hamann, D. R. (1983). Phys. Rev. Lett., 50, 1998. Tersof, J. and Hamann, D. R. (1985). Phys. Rev. B, 31, 805. van der Wielen, M. C. M. M., van Roij, A. J. A., and van Kempen, H. (1996). Phys. Rei:. Lett., 76, 1075. Vaterlaus, A,, Feenstra, R. M., Kirchner, P. D., Woodall, J. M., and Pettit, G. D. (1993). J . Vac. Sci. Technol. B, 11, 1502. Wang, J., Arias, T. A,, Joannopoulos, J. D., Turner, G . W., and Alerhand, 0. L. (1993). Phys. Rev. B,47, 10326. Warren, A. C., Woodall, J. M., Freeouf, J. L.. Grischkowsky, D., McInturff, D. T., Melloch, M. R., and Otsuka, N. (1990). Appl. Phys. Lett., 57, 1331. Whitman, L. J., Stroscio, J. A., Dragoset, R. A,, and Celotta, R. J. (1990). Phys. Rev. B, 42, 7288. Yi, J.-Y., Ha, J. S., Park, S.-J., and Lee, E.-H. (1995). Phys. Rev. B, 51, 11198.
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Yu, E. T., Johnson, M. B.,and Halbout, J. M. (1992). A p p l . Phys. Lett., 61, 201. Zhang, S. B. and Zunger, A. (1996). Phys. Reil. Lett., 77, 119. Zhang, S. B. and Zunger, A. (1997). Phys. Rev. Lrfr., 79, 3313. Zheng, J. F., Liu, X., Newrnan. N., Weber, E. R., Ogletree. D. F., and Salrneron, M. (1994a). Phys. Reu. Lett., 72, 1490. Zheng, J. F., Walker, J. D., Salmeron, M. B., and Weher, E. R. (1994b). Phys. Rev. Lrrt., 72, 2414. Zheng, J. F., Salmeron, M. B., and Weber, E. R. (1994~).Appl. P h p Leir., 64, 1836. Zheng, J. F., Ogletree, D. F., Walker, J., Salmeron, M., and Weber, E. R. (1994d). J. Vuc. Sci. Techno/. B, 12, 2100. Zhcng, J. F.. Salrneron, M., and Weher, E. R . (1994e). Unpublishcd.
SEMICONDUCTORS AND SEMIMETALS. VOL . 51B
CHAPTER 6
Perturbed Angular Correlation Studies of Defects Thomas Wichert TECHNITCHI. PIiYXK
.
SAAKHKUCKIN FkDERAl
K ~ P U B L I C0 1. (;I.K\.lhNY
I . INTKOUUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Anulyiical Techniques und Sensitivities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Rudiouctive Ootopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. EXPERlMbNTAL METHOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . Hyperfine Inreructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . The Perturbed y-y Angulur Cbrrrl(ition Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Radiouctivr Probe A t o m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Experimentul Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111. SUBSTITUTIONAL DOPANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . Donur-Accepror PLriring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Lutticr Sites of Isolated Probe Atoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Clustering of Dopunis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . Effect o/ Clicvnicul TrunsmutLition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV . LIGHTELEMENTS A N D TRANSITION METALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Hydrogen in Elemental Semiconcluctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Hydrogen in III- V Semiconduciors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Trunsirion Metals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V . INTRINSICDEFECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. frrucliution und Quenching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Single Recoil Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Oj~stoichiometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VI . SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ACKNOWLEDGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REFERENCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I
.
291 298 299 300 302 . 305 316 320 322 324 . 331 340 . 342 . 351 . 352 . 365 312 382 382 388 393 400 401 401
.
Introduction
Progress in semiconductor technology is driven by progress in the knowledge and control of defects; these include intrinsic defects. such as vacancies and self.interstitials. and extrinsic defects. such as dopants and 297 Copylight 1 1YY9 by A'ddemi' Press All right? of rcproduction in any form rcaerved ISBN 0-12 752165.8 ISSN 0080.8784 53000
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THOMAS WICHERT
impurity atoms in thcse materials. This chapter will illustrate to what extent radioactive probe atoms in combination with the perturbed y y angular correlation technique (PAC) are able to contribute to the identGcation of different types of defects in different semiconductors, elemental as well as Ill-Vs and 11-Vls.
1. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES AND SL:NSITIVITIES
One of the key problems in the control of electrical properties of semiconductors concerns the influence of the doping procedure and thermal treatment of a sample on the degree of electrical activation of the dopants. Furthermore, the mechanisms that cause the compensation or passivation of the dopants should be understood. A typical lower bound for the conductivity of an intentionally doped semiconductor with CT = 1 Scmand a mobility of ,u = lo3 cm2/Vs would correspond to a dopant concentration of about 10i6cm-3. As a similar concentration of defects would bc sufficient to compensate or passivate these dopant atoms, analytical techniques should be sensitive to defect concentrations down to loi6cm-3 and below. A major portion of the analytical methods commonly used are electrical and optical techniques. These techniques, including electrical transport measurements (Hall effect and conductivity), capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements, deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), are distinguished by their high sensitivities to defect concentrations well below 10'hcm-3 as is indicated in Fig. 1. However, several of these techniques do not yield easily accessible microscopic information about the identity of the extrinsic or intrinsic defects that are involved. Alternatively, those experimental techniques that are well suited for the chemical identification of defects often lack the required ~. these sensitivity to defect concentrations of the order of 1016~ r n - Among are techniques, such as Raman scattering, extended X-ray absorption fine-structure measurements (EXAFS), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) including ion channeling (Chann.), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which do not allow routine investigations of defects below concentrations of about 10" cm-3. Here, the magnetic resonance techniques, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), along with their different relatives, represent an important exception. The magnetic resonance techniques are able to identify the chemical nature of a defect at concentrations around or below 1 0 " ~ m - if~ the defect is involved in a paramagnetic center. Although this list cannot be regarded as exhaustive, in many cases one is left with the choice of using either a technique that possesses the needed
6
PERTURBED
ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS Electrical and optical properties: Chemical identification: - using stable atoms - radioactive probes
I
299
----
-
1-
10’2
ll@ olo~
FIG. 1, Sensitivities of different experimental techniques to defects in semiconductors. The abbreviations used are explained in the text (SIMS = secondary ion mass spectroscopy). Reprinted from Wichert (1996) with permission from the author.
sensitivity but is blind to the chemical nature of the involved dopants or defects, or one that is sensitive to the chemical nature of dopants or defects but lacks the required sensitivity for low concentrations. Of course, with regard to this classification, there are always exceptions to the rules and it should be noted that Fig. 1 can represent only an overview of the sensitivities of various techniques, which should be a guide for routine investigations. Thus, most of the detection limits given in Fig. 1 apply to 1 cm2 samples with a thickness of 1 pm. If applied to a 1 mm thick, homogeneously doped sample -for example, infrared spectroscopy (IR) would still be sensitive to concentrations down to 10’ cm- ’. For more detailed information about the different techniques, the reader is referred to Stradling and Klipstein (1990), Feldman and Mayer (1986), Spaeth et ul. (1992), and Langouche (1992) and to other chapters in this volume.
2. RADIOACTIVEISOTOPES
The use of radioactive isotopes opens the way for new analytical techniques, sometimes improves the limited sensitivities of previously used methods, and can also add chemical specificity to a chemically insensitive
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method. Besides Mossbauer spectroscopy (MS), a new technique is the perturbed y;’ angular corrclation technique (PAC), which measures the local hyperfine interaction at the site of a radioactive probe atom (Fig. 1). From PAC measuremcnts, the identity of defects can be determined similarly to the way results are obtained with EPR and ENDOR techniques, however, without the requirement of a paramagnetic center and the restriction to low temperatures. In combination with radioactive isotopes, the channeling technique, called “Blocking,” and NMR, called “b-NMR,” shows significantly higher sensitivities. The first systematic studics of defects in semiconductors using radioactive probe atoms started in the 1980s using MS (Weyer et ul., 1981), b-NMR (Grupp et a/., 1982), Blocking (Lindner et ul., 1986), and PAC (Witthuhn, 1985; Wichert ei ul., 1989) and have been discussed in recent reviews by Williamson et a/. (1992); Ackerman et a/. (1992); Wichert et ul. (1992), and Hofsiss and Lindner (1991). The use of radioactive isotopes in combination with chemically insensitive methods, such as DLTS and PL measurements, is discussed by Wichert (1996), Magerle (1997), and in chapters elsewhere in this volume. The present contribution will focus on the PAC technique and will present selected experiments that illustrate the pros and cons of PAC and that have contributed to shaping the field of identifying point defects with the help of radioactive isotopes. Because analytical techniques are not applicable in all cases or under all conditions and their dekct-related information is never complete, most defect problems are solved by the application of complementary methods, with each providing a piece of the puzzle. In this sense, the use of radioactive isotopes provides a new kind of information, even for defects that have been well studied by more conventional techniques.
11.
Experimental Method
The basic principles of the perturbed yy ungulur c‘orrelution technique (PAC) are illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The radioactive parent probe atom creates, usually through its /j-decay, an excited duuyhter probe atom. The excited nucleus subsequently releases its excitation energy through the emission of a y-cascade. The property of the 7-rays, in which they always carry their angular momentum vector either along or opposite to their propagation direction, is what makes PAC possible. By detecting both prays (yl and ; 1 2 ) in a coiricidence experirnent, information is obtained on the respective orientations of the same nuclear spin I at two times that are defined by the emission of y 1 (yielding the initial orientation) and y z (yielding the orientation after the time At). From the change of the spin
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATIONSTUDIES OF DEFECTS
301
FIG.2. In a PAC experiment, the probability of detecting ?,and y z in coincidence Is modulated by the precession frequency o of the nuclear spin I. The actual value of w IS determined by the strength of the electric or magnetic field at the site of the nucleus of the (daughter) probe atom.
42
electric field gradient FIG. 3. A more detailed nuclear decay scheme of the 8-decay shown in the inset of Fig. 2. For the case of the PAC probe ' l l I n / ' l l C d (nuclear spin I = 5/2), along with the corresponding magnetic quantum numbers A4 = 5/2, i3/2, and 1/2 the level splitting is shown that is induced by the electric field gradient ( Vzz)at the intermediate nuclear state with quadrupole moment Q and lifetime 7 (see also Fig. 10). Note that this energy splitting, characterized by (11 = AE/h, is on the order of IO-'eV, whereas the p-transition energies are on the order of 10' eV.
*
*
302
THOMAS WICHERT
orientation AI, measured for an ensemble of probe atoms during the time At elapsed between the emission of both y-rays, the spin precession frequency LC) is deduced. The way in which the change in A1 is reflected by the y-y coincidence probability detected as a function of the elapsed time At will be discussed here. It should be noted that there are probe atoms, where the excited state that emits y1 forms a long-lived nuclear state as will be shown for the probe lllmCdin Fig. 10; in this case, parent and daughter probes are chemically identical. Keeping in mind that the presence of a defect givcs rise to an electric field gradient, Fig. 3 shows that the defect interaction with the quadrupole moment Q of the intermediate state gives rise to a characteristic energy splitting of this nuclear state. This splitting, which is proportional to the largest component of the electric field gradient V,,, relates to a precession of the spin I with the frequencies wi in a classical picture. For experimental reasons, Ar has to be observable for a time duration that is comparable with the time for about one revolution of the nuclear spins. Therefore, the intermediate nuclear state, populated by the emission of yl, has to possess an adequate lifetime T besides the spin I and quadrupole moment Q. In quantum mechanics, with respect to the quantization axis z,the frequencies LO, lead to phase shifts (wi.At) of the nuclear spins I, which depend on the magnitude of the clectric field gradient (see Fig. 3). This section will introduce the relevant part of the hyperfine interaction that governs these phenomena and will present the theoretical description of the experimental PAC spectra needed for the identification of defects.
1. HYPERFINE INTERACTIONS In PAC experiments, similar to Mossbauer spectroscopy or NMR, the hyperfine interaction arising from the interaction of an electromagnetic field with a nuclear moment is observed at the site of a nucleus. In general, the Hamiltonian H , describing the energy shift of nuclear states by this interaction, is composed of a magnetic and an electric part
The first term describes the magnetic part of the interaction and gives rise to the Larmor frequency wL, which is proportional to the magnetic field B. The second term in Eq. (1) arises from the interaction between the nuclear electric charge distribution and the charge distribution of the surrounding electrons and positive ions. In a multipole expansion of He,it turns out that the monopole term causes the same energy shift for all sublevels of the
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
303
nuclear spin I (designated by the magnetic quantum number M ) , the dipole term vanishes, but the quadrupole term HQ causes an energy shift that depends on the quantum number M (see Fig. 3). This last term comes from the interaction of the nuclear electric quadrupole moment Q with the 3 x 3 tensor of the electric field gradient with the components which are the second derivative of the electrostatic potential V(r)
vj,
d2 v(r) v..= ___ xi,xj = x, y,z ' J axiaxj >
at the site of the nucleus (r = 0). For PAC this quadrupole interaction has been the relevant one for the study of defects in semiconductors so far. It is described by
H -
eQ
c K j [t(IiIj + IjIi)
a - 61(21 - 1) i , j
- 6,,121
(3)
where x i , x j represent the Cartesian coordinates x, y, z and hij is the Kronecker delta. The tensor K j is traceless and symmetric and is therefore completely described by five components (see Fig. 4).
Electric Field Gradient Tensor
FIG. 4. Correspondence between the components K j of the traceless electric field gradient tensor and the quadrupole coupling constant v, [Eq. (15)], the asymmetry parameter q [Eq. ( 5 ) ] ,and the Euler angles ai.Note the F 3dependence of the electric field gradient, where I is the distance of the charge q to the nucleus.
304
THOMAS WICHEKT
The 3 x 3 tensor representing the electric field gradient is simplified by transformation into a principal axis system so that y j = 0 for i # j . In this system, Eq. (3) becomes
Equation (4) shows that two parameters are sufficient to characterize the field gradient tensor in its principal axis system, that is, the largest component of the electric field gradient t z and the difference Vxx- V,, which, usually, is expressed by the asymmetry parameter
with I t z ] 3 IVY,/ 2 lVxxl so that 0 < y~ 6 1 holds. The remaining three parameters necessary to describe the tensor within an arbitrarily chosen system of coordinates, for cxample, the coordinates of the host crystal, correspond to the three Euler angles ui that described the transformation to the principal axes system [see Eqs. (3) and (4) and Fig. 41. As will be explained in what follows, besides V,, and q, two of these angles and the third angle within +rc are determined by PAC so that the strength, symmetry and orientation- strictly speaking the alignment -of the field gradient tensor can be determined; the third angle remains uncertain within -tx because in a 11-1’ correlation experiment the sign of the quadrupole interaction is not accessible. The eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian in Eq. (4) correspond to the cnergy shifts E M of a nuclear state with spin I and z-component M . Their cvaluation is most straightforward if V’, = Yy, that is, for the case of an i i x i d l y symmetric field gradient ( q = 0)
E M = [3M2 - I(1
+ I)]
eQ V,, 41(21 - 1)
(6)
and the energy difference between two different sublevels M and M’ is
with the abbreviation R)
eQ K z
a
- 41(21 - l)h
Equation (7) shows that the energy difference A E ( M , M ‘ ) corresponds to
305
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS I =512
4 2 1 ,
,
0.0
0.2
.
,
~
0.4
, . , 06
rl
08
,
1 1.0
rl
FIG 5 . Left: Energy splitting E M of an I = 5/2 nuclear state in units of hoQ [Eq. (7)] as a function of the asymmetry parameter (V,, = const.). Right: Dependence of the ratio m2/(01 on the parameter ti along with the parameter (ti) in Eq. (14) uscd for calculating the coupling constant va.
spin precession frequencies 01 = AE/h, whereby the smallest frequency w o is 6 ( I J ~ or 3 w y for a half-integer or integer spin I, respectively. For a spin I = 512 the frequencies are: ( I ) ~= w 1 = 6 coy, <02= 12 fay, and w 3 = 18 me (see Fig. 5, left panel for y = 0). For the case of a nonaxially symmetric electric field gradient, that is, q > 0, the eigenvalues of Eq. (4) have to be determined numerically in most cases. For nuclear spin I = 5/2, Fig. 5 shows the energy shift EM for the 5/2 as a function of the asymmetry sublevels M = f 1/2, f3/2, and parameter y. The values of the three frequencies w , , w 2 , and o3= w1 w 2 , which again are determined by the energy differences of the sublevels, are no longer integer multiples of the smallest frequency wl, with the exception of y = 1 with w 1 = m2 (see also Fig. 5). A detailed discussion of the electric quadrupole interaction with reference to PAC can be found elsewhere (Frauenfelder and Steffen, 1965; Schatz and Weidinger, 1996).
+
2. THEPERTURBED y-y ANGULARCORRELATION TECHNIQUE a.
Nuclear Spin Alignment
The basis of PAC originates from the angular distribution of the yradiation that is emitted by the radioactive probe atoms. This distribution is anisotropic in space and depends on the direction of the angular
306
THOMAS WICHERT
momentum d of the y-radiation described by its magnetic quantum number m with respect to the quantization axis z* as is shown in Fig. 6(a) for / = 1. In this case, two different angular distributions, +sin2@ for m = 0 and $(1 + cos20) for m = f l , describe the probability of observing the yradiation along a direction p?,,which forms the angle 0 with the quantization axis z* (then the vector py is the direction of the wave vector of the y radiation). For example, in a y 1 - y 2 angular correlation experiment, z* can be defined by the direction of the first y quantum pylr so that py would correspond to the direction of the second y quantum py2. Of course, the superposition of all three m states, that is, averaging over all p11 states, would result in an isotropic distribution; in this case, for all angles 0 the same y-intensity would be observed. From this property of the y-radiation, the nuclear decay scheme in Fig. 6(b) [which belongs to a (daughter) probe atom] illustrates how information on the direction of a nuclear spin l is obtained by detecting two prays in coincidence. Populated by the preceding P-decay of the (parent) probe atom, the excited nucleus (energy Ei) reaches its ground state (energy Er) via the intermediate nuclear state with spin I (energy E) by emitting two .;-rays with angular momenta d , and P,. In this example, their values are 5, = C, = 1 according to the chosen 0-1-0 sequence of the three nuclear spins ti, I, and I,, respectively [right panel of Fig. 6(b)]. For a relative angle O,,, both prays are dctccted by y-detectors, which are tuned to the energies E,, = Ei - E and E,, = E - E, of y1 and y 2 , respectively, as sketched in Fig. 6(c). Choosing as the quantization axis the direction z*, which connects the site of the emitting nuclei (the source) and detector 1 (pYl),the angular distributions of Fig. 6(a) have to be taken at 0 = 0 with the result that y1 will be in the state m, = f 1 but not in the state m , = 0, if detected by detector 1. Consequently, the nucleus in its intermediate state ( I = 1) can only be in the states M = - 1 or + 1 because conservation of angular momentum requires M i= m, + M . This means, the distribution of the directions of the corresponding nuclear spins I of the intermediate nuclear state with respect to the chosen quantization axis z* is no longer isotropic but these spins possess an alignment; that is, the sublevels M belonging to I are not equally populated or, more precisely, P,.(JMI) # Pz*(lM’l) for IMI # IM’I. In the example given in Fig. 6(b), the nuclear spins would be aligned along the z*-direction in Fig. 6(c). This alignment exists, of course, only for the subensemble of probe nuclei that was selected by detecting y 1 in detector 1. Because the sublevel M = 0 is not populated for the chosen subensemble and the conservation of angular momentum requires m, = M - M / , the second y-transition y, cannot be detected in the state m2 = 0 if it is recorded in coincidcnce with y l . The normalized coincidence probability, the angular correlation, of y 1
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
=I
307
*,
tZ
FIG. 6. (a) Angular distribution of the emission of y-radiation with angular momentum C and magnetic quantum number m. (b) Nuclear decay scheme of a (daughter) probe along with the relevant parameters of the y-2' cascade. (c) Experimental arrangement for detecting a y , - y 2 correlation along the directions p,., and pY2.
308
THOMAS WICHERT
and y 2 as a function of 0 is then described by the ?-angular distribution for rn = 2 I shown in Fig. 6(a) and sketched in Fig. 6(c). (Note that recording of j), without the coincidence condition would result in an isotropic distribution because the state m2 = 0 of y 2 would also contribute at detector 2.) Because the anisotropic yl-y2 angular correlation W ( 0 )= f(1 cos2Q) in this case, is directly connected to the alignment of the nuclear spin I, this angular correlation can be used for measuring the precession frequency of the spin I: Upon detecting y,, a start time ( t = 0) is defined and the initial spin alignment is prepared. Upon detecting y2, the stop time, and, thereby, the elapsed time interval t , are determined and any possible change of the nuclear spin alignment becomes observable via an altered angular correlation W ( 0 , t). which now depends on the elapsed time t.
+
h. E-xtra-nuclear Ficlds
Such a change of the nuclear spin alignment is caused by the presence of extra-nuclear magnetic or electric fields, say, for the sake of simplicity, a magnetic field B, as long as its direction z does not coincide with the z* axis. Taking z perpendicular to the detector plane, as sketched in Fig. 6(c), the aligned spins I will start to precess about z with the Larmor frequency q , thereby altering the sublevel population P,,(M) and at the same time the angular correlation W ( 0 ) measured by detectors 1 and 2. For the case of the magnetic interaction assumed here, the corresponding time-dependent angular correlation function is easily deduced. The rotation of the aligned spins I through the angle 0 = wt about the z axis corresponds to a rotation of the reference frame through the same angle in the opposite direction so that 0, becomes (63, - o t ) and the angular correlation becomes W(0,, t) =
+ + 4cos2(0, - w t )
(8)
which is called the perturbcd ungulur correlution (PAC). Thus, depending on the time t elapsed between the detection of y ? and y 2 , the angular correlation of y l and y 2 changes with the spin precession frequency w, which is proportional to the strength of the electromagnetic field of interest. Note that the measurement of the perturbed angular correlation by detectors 1 and 2 in Fig. 6(c) is sensitive to the direction z of the electromagnetic field, as can be seen by the following argument: the direction of z* can be made parallel to z by changing the orientation of the y-detectors. As a consequence, the precession of the nuclear spin will take place about the z*-direction because now it is parallel to the z-axis of the electromagnetic field, and the population PZ,(M) will not be altered. Because of the rotational symmetry
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
309
of the angular distributions of the emitted y-rays about z* [see Fig.6(a)], the spin precession about z* is not visible and does not perturb the angular correlation. Thus, the angular correlation in Eq. (8) becomes time-independent in spite of the presence of an electromagnetic field. Finally, in order to observe the spin precession through an angle A@, the emission of y 2 by the probe nucleus has to be delayed by a time At = A@/# with respect to y , . Therefore, the intermediate nuclear state has to exist for a comparable time, which is usually characterized by the mean nuclear lifetime z. Taking into account this finite lifetime of the intermediate state, the probability to detect y2 at a time t past the detection of y1 becomes
I(@,, t ) = I, exp( -t/z)W(O,, t )
(9)
where I , is determined by the number of nuclear decays per time interval as well as by the solid angles and the detection efficiencies of the detectors 1 and 2. When discussing the interaction of a particular nucleus with the electromagnetic field, one should keep in mind that we are dealing with an ensemble of statistically decaying nuclei because the decay of a large number of probe atoms (typically 106-107) has to be detected in order to establish the spin precession frequency in a PAC time spectrum. Summarizing this qualitative model, the angular correlation observed by two detectors, which enclose the fixed angle a, oscillates as a function of time t according to the precession frequency w of the nuclear spins I. If there is an electric field gradient present, there will usually be more than a single frequency, as was discussed in the context of Eq. (7). The amplitude of the oscillation is determined by the product of angular correlation coefficients &(y1)Ak2(y2), whereby each coefficient A,,(y,) depends on the spins of the nuclear states involved and the multipole order, that is, the angular momentum 8 of the emitted y-radiation (Schatz and Weidinger, 1996). For the example given in the preceding, Eq. (8) shows that this product is 0.5 and the experimentally observable oscillation frequency w is twice the Larmor frequency (oL because of the 180" symmetry of the y-angular distribution in Fig. 6(a). c.
Static Electric Field Grudiients
For a rigorous treatment of the theory describing the perturbed angular correlation function, the symmetry axis of the electromagnetic field, instead of the direction of py,, will be taken as the quantization axis z so that the M states of the intermediate nuclear level are eigenstates of the interaction, with energies E M = (IMIHQIZM) where HQ is the Hamiltonian operator of
310
THOMAS WICHERT
the electric quadrupole interaction given by Eq. (3) (Frauenfelder and Steffen, 1965; Hamilton, 1975; Rinneberg, 1979; Butz, 1989; and Schatz and Weidinger, 1996). The information on the hyperfine interaction and the associated level splitting [see Eq. (7)] is contained in the perturbation function
showing that with respect to the new quantization axis z the hyperfine interaction does not change the population of the sublevels M or induce transitions between them. [This can be experimentally checked by detecting or y2 along the new quantization axis z (i.e., z* = z) as was already discussed in Section I1.2.b in the context of a magnetic interaction (Fig. 6).] The perturbation function in Eq. (10) constitutes the square of a coherent sum of different amplitudes with different phases (EMt/h) that is recognizable by the imaginary argument of the exponential. The coefficients cMM' depend on the involved angular momenta. In the following, ths influence of the electric quadrupole interaction on the angular correlation will first be discussed for the case of a random urientation of the electric field gradients at different probe nuclei, a situation that is met in polycrystalline samples. In this case, the number of free parameters is greatly reduced and the angular correlation function in Eq. (9) can be written as kmax
w(0, t ) = 1 + 1 AkkGkk(f)Pk(COS@)
(1 I )
k=2
where P , are Legendre polynomials and A,, = Ak(yI)Ak(y2).Because of conservation of parity, the sum runs over even k and for the probe nuclei discussed here k,,, = 4. The perturbation function in Eq. (10) becomes
where the frequencies a),, contain information on the strength ( V z z ) and, along with the amplitudes skn,on the asymmetry ( q ) of the electric field gradient tensor. For the nuclear spin I = 3 and the most often used (daughter) probe "'Cd (see Figs. 3 and lo), only terms up to k = 2 have to be considered for the case of a random orientation of electric field gradients and one obtains [see Eq. (7) and Fig. 51
W ( 0 ,t ) = 1 + A , ,
(
s20
3
1
+ 1 s2nCOSW"t n=l
with ml + o, = o3 and CS,,,= 1 ( n = 0,. . . ,3). Note, for n amplitudes s2n = S, are shown in Fig. 7 (left panel).
(13) =
1,2,3 the
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
Polycrystal
311
Single Crystal Direction of EFG
snm 123%
FIG. 7. Influence of the direction ( ( j k ) of the component
Fz of the electric field gradient
(v = 0) shown horizontally on the amplitudes S,, of the spin precession frequencies w, [see Eqs. (18) and (19)]. The three dctector orientations defined by pYl and py2 (0= 180) are shown vertically. For comparison, the amplitudes S,, of a polycrystal are given (n = 1,2,3).
Then the strength V,,, the largest component of the field gradient tensor, is given by wi = (3n/lO)d~)eQV,,/h = (3n/10)g(V)vQ (14) where the quadrupole coupling constant
has been introduced. [According to Eq. (7a) vQ is not directly related to wQ, that is, wQ# 27cvQ.] For an axially symmetric tensor, that is, g = 0, the parameter g ( q ) = 1 (Fig. 5) and the three frequencies are integer multiples of = ,6 wQ [see Eq. (7)] with w, = nw, and the fundamental frequency (I) w, = o1= ( 3 ~ ) / 1 0vQ because of Eq. (14). The perturbation function in Eq. (12) then simplifies to G 2 2 ( t )= s2,
+
3
sZncos(ncoOt)
(16)
n= 1
The asymmetry parameter y = (V,, - V,,)/Vz,, describing the asymmetry of which varies between 2 and 1 the tensor, is obtained from the ratio 02/01, for 0 d q d 1. This corresponds to an increase of the factor g(y) in Eq. (14) from 1 to 1.763 (see right panel of Fig. 5). The amplitudes skndepend only weakly on y. For determining the orientation of the field gradient tensor, a single crystal has to be used and a more general angular correlation function than Eq. (11) has to be considered (Frauenfelder and Steffen, 1965; Hamilton, 1975; Rinneberg, 1979; Butz, 1989; and Schatz and Weidinger, 1996). Still con-
312
THOMAS WICHEKT
sidering the (daughter) probe 'llCd, terms up to k , = k , = 4 have to be taken into account, leading to the angular correlation function with G'(t) = Sb
+ C S;cosw,t n= 1
The amplitudes Sk, which now contain the angular correlation coefficients Aklk2,depend on the orientation of py, and py2with respect to the z axis [see Fig. 6(c)], which is determined by the direction of KZ. In contrast, the magnitudes of the frequencies do not depend on the orientation. It is helpful to distinguish the following two different types of materials producing electric field gradients at the site of the probe atom.
(a) Materials, where the host lattice itself has a symmetry lower than cubic and represents the source for the field gradient. For example, the wurtzite lattice of a CdS crystal (Fig. 61) produces an axially symmetric electric field gradient at its regular lattice sites, and the orientation of V,, is parallel to the c-axis of the lattice. (See the example of CdS in Fig. 21, shown in Section 111.) (b) Materials, where the host lattice possesses cubic structure but a defect is close to the probe atom, thereby lowering the cubic symmetry about the probe atom. The orientation of the associated field gradient tensor turns out to be determined by the electronic charge distribution of the probe atom-defect complex. Due to crystal symmetry, multiple, equivalent crystallographic orientations of the complex are possible and an averaged value of all equivalent field gradient orientations has to be formed. Therefore, the coefficients Sk in Eq. (18) have to be replaced by P
S, = (UP) I=
1
W h , , k , 0, (n = 0,1,2,3)
(19)
where h,, k , , 1, give the directions of the main symmetry axes of the p equivalent orientations (p = 3 for (loo), 4 for (111) and 6 for (1 10)). This situation is met when defects are studied in semiconductors with diamond structure, such as Si or Ge; or with zincblende structure, such as GaAs or ZnSe; for example, for the P-defect in ZnSe, shown in Fig. 12(c), p = 4 holds. The corresponding amplitudes S; and S, are given in Deicher rt al. (1983) and Wegner (1985). In this way, the orientation of the probe atom-defect complex can be deduced from the orientation of the electric field gradient tensor via the amplitudes S,. Often, the principal-axis system of the field gradient is described with reference to the lattice of the host crystal
6
PERTURBED
ANGULARC O R R E L A T I O N
STUDlES OF
DEFECTS
313
and, therefore, also the directions p, of the prays are given with reference to the crystal lattice. For an axially symmetric field gradient whose E,component points along a (loo), (1 l l ) , or (1 10) lattice direction, the respective amplitudes S, ( n= 1, 2,3) are shown in Fig. 7, where the y-y coincidences are measured along one of the three major lattice directions (loo), (111) or (110), with 0 = 180". Note that S, becomes dominant in Fig. 7 when one of the crystallographic directions of the field gradient coincides with the direction of p,. For comparison, the S, values [corresponding to s2, in Eq. (13)] for the randomly oriented field gradients are shown in the left portion of Fig. 7.
As already mentioned in context with Eq. (9), recording a full PAC time spectrum requires the detection of the angular correlation at many probe atoms. If the field gradients at the sites of the different probe atoms vary about a mean value, an incoherent dephasing of the alignment of the nuclear spins I towards an isotropic distribution will result, comparable to a T, relaxation in an NMR experiment. In a y-7angular correlation time spectrum, this effect leads to a damping of the frequency oscillations in time, which for the case of a Lorentzian distribution of the different field gradients about a mean JL, value, modifies the perturbation function [ e g , Eq. (12)] to give G(t) = a,
-
+ 1a,, cos(w,t) exp( - nat)
(20)
n
with 0 = A0/271 AKz. Here, the amplitude a,, substitutes for the polycrystalline skn or single crystalline S, parameters. The distribution of electric field gradients, which is expressed by the parameter 0, leads to a stronger damping of the higher frequencies con. In Eq. (20), a static distribution of field gradients leading to a static relaxation has been assumed, that is, the field gradient tensor does not change during the time window of the probe atom, which is determined by the lifetime T of the intermediate nuclear state of the (daughter) probe (see Fig. 3). Finally, if there are probe atoms exposed to j different microscopic environments, each of them creating a characteristic field gradient at the probe atom sites, the perturbation function becomes G(t )
=
C ji G'( t ) j
Here, f j is the relative fraction of each subset of probe atoms with the same microscopic environment, distinguished by its characteristic field gradient, that is, by v Q j , q j and a set of amplitudes Si.
d.
Time-dependent Electric. Field Gradients
If the field gradient tensor changes in magnitude or orientation within the time window of the (daughter) probe atom, that is, the nuclear lifetime of
314
THOMAS WICHERT
the intermediate state T, a dynamic spin relaxation, comparable to a TI and T2 relaxation in NMR, occurs. The explicit formula for G(t) depends on the details of the dynamic process. The description of a PAC spectrum that is caused by fluctuating electric field gradients was developed in the framework of a stochastic theory by Blume (1968), Winkler and Gerdau (1973) and Rinneberg (1979), and was later applied by Evenson et al. (1990) and Achtziger and Witthuhn (1993). The theory assumes random fluctuations between different slates and the probabilities for the transition to depend only on the elapsed time and not on the states previously occupied. For the a simple expression for extreme values of low and high relaxation rates lb the perturbation function exists G(r) = exp( -At) (a,, \
+ 2 ancos w,t n
/
Introducing To, the transition rate between two different states of the electric field gradient tensor normalized by the spin precession frequency m,, induced by the electric field gradient), the regime of low reluxation rates can be defined by the condition r,,<< 1. In this case, the connection to the I To. An increase of the transition rate causes relaxation rate is given by , an increasing exponential damping of the modulation amplitudes in the time spectrum and, in contrast to the static case, the identical line broadening or damping for the different frequencies w, in the Fourier transform. The regime oj high relaxation rutes is defined by To >> 1 and the connection to the relaxation rate 3, is given by i l/To. In this case, the increased transition rate causes a narrowing of the frequency lines 01, in the Fourier transform and the damping of the modulation in the time spectrum disappears. In NMR, this effect is called motionul narrowing. For the time-dependent fluctuation of the electric field gradient tensor, two different situations will be met in the following sections:
-
-
(i) The ,fluctuation of the mugnitude Vzz of the electric field gradient tensor, where its symmetry ( v ] ) and orientation ( ( ( j k ) ) are constant. The fluctuation between the electric field gradients of two different electronic states, giving rise to electric field gradients that only differ in their strengths, was derived by Achtziger and Witthuhn (1993) in order to investigate the dynamic behavior of acceptor-donor pairs in Si (see Sections I11 and IV). For the (daughter) probe lllCd, Fig. 8 shows how the increasing transition rate To influences the PAC time spectra (a) and their Fourier transforms (b). For To = 0.33, the constant line broadening of the two slightly different frequency
6
PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
w a,
-
P
’
315
ro-i.5 A
I
t
rP=i.o
FIG.8. Perturbation functions G(r) (a) and the cosine part of their Fourier transforms (b) for a dynamic two-state model (Achtziger and Witthuhn, 1993). The populations of both states are identical. Their electric field gradients differ only with respect to their strengths, the ratio of the corresponding two frequencies fob1) and tub’’ IS 1 : 1.2. The free parameter is the relative fluctuation rate To, which is normalized to the difference A of the two frequencies cog’ and varies between 0 (static case) and 100 (motional narrowing); see also Section III.4.b. Reprinted with permission from the authors.
triplets m:’, which characterize the two electric field gradients, is visible and is described by Eq. (22) using a separate relaxation rate 3, To for each frequency triplet w?). In the intermediate region with To z 1, the strongly broadened frequencies w?) of both triplets move towards each other. For To = 3.0, the motional narrowing regime is reached with 3. l/To and each frequency w, in Eq. (22) is the average of the two static frequencies w:).
-
-
(ii) The jlfluctuafion of the orientution ( i j k ) of the electric field gradient tensor between different crystallographically equivalent lattice directions, where its strength and symmetry are constant. The fluctuations of the electric field gradient tensor, which are caused by a defect jumping about a (daughter) probe atom and, therefore, give rise to electric field gradients that only differ in their orientations, were calculated by Evenson et ul. (1990) for the (daughter) probe *‘‘Cd. The time spectra in Fig. 9 are shown as a function To = w / o 0 , where w is the jump frequency of the defect. The calculations assume three
316
THOMAS WICHERT
Ci?
0.0
~ I G 9. . Pertubation Cunctions GZZ(f)for a dynamic three state model [XYZ-model (Evenson et ul., t990)]. The different states are characterized by the same electric field gradient tensors that differ only with respect to the orientation of their symmetry axes in the lattice; G2Jr) is calculated for din'erent reorientation rates w , which are normalized to the strength of the elcctric lield gradient via the frequency (I)(,.
crystallographically equivalent sites, but the dependence on the parameter To is very similar for the case of four sites, which applies to the dynamic process to be discussed later for the Cd-Cu and Cd-H pairs in Si. Again, for To << 1, Eq. (22) gives a good approximation of the more complex calculations shown in Fig.9. In the motional narrowing limit, however, the fluctuations yield the zero electric field gradient tensor caused by the cubic host lattice, so that Eq. (22) is reduced to a simple exponential
G(r) = exp( - i t )
(23)
which is called the Abragam-Pound limit (Abragam and Pound, 1953).
3. RADIOACTIVE PRORE ATOMS The salient feature of a PAC experiment is the ability to observe the time dependent perturbation of a y-y angular correlation. Above all, it requires a radioactive isotope that emits as a cascade two y-rays, which are marked by their energies EY1and Ey2.Whether a particular isotope is suited for PAC
6 PERTURBED ANGULAR CORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
317
or not is determined primarily by the following properties of the intermediate nuclear state of the (daughter) probe atom associated with the nuclear quadrupole moment Q and nuclear spin I (Fig. 3): (i) its lifetime t determines the time window during which the spin precession is observable; for technical reasons T should lie between 10ns and 1000ns; (ii) its nuclear quadrupole moment Q should be large because it determines the magnitude of the spin precession frequency o whose period 2n/o should not be much larger than the lifetime t; (iii) large angular correlation coefficients A k l ( y l ) A k 2 ( y 2of) the y - y cascade are useful because they determine the statistical accuracy of the deduced hyperfine parameters and the minimum detectable fraction of probes associated with them; finally, (iv) the excited state Ei of the y-y cascade [Fig.6(b)] has to be populated by a suitable parent isotope. The population usually occurs via the P-decay (P-, p' or EC = electron capture) of a parent isotope, which is called the (parent) probe atom in contrast to the (daughter) probe atom which provides the y-y cascade. The lifetime of the (parent) probe is important because it determines the time available for doping and treating the sample and, finally, for performing the PAC experiments. Of particular importance is the chemical nature of the (parent) probe because it determines the dopant character of the probe atom, where and how it is incorporated into the semiconductor, and whether or not there will be a chemical interaction with defects. The forementioned requirements restrict the list of radioactive isotopes that are suitable as (parent/daughter) probes, as can be seen in Table I. Most of the results on defects in semiconductors have been obtained with the (parent) probe ' I 'In because of its favorable parameters (i)- (iv). With the help of the on-line isotope separator facility ISOLDE (CERN, Geneva) (Ravn and Allardyce, 1989) and the heavy-ion accelerator at ISL (HMI, Berlin) (Homeyer and Mahnke, 1996), additional probe atoms have become available, such as 77Br, 79Rb, looPd, ''lrnCd, and "'Cd. Among them, the probe "'mCd/'llCd has turned out to be a very successful probe in 111-V compounds because of its acceptor character (see Table IV). The properties of isotopes that have been used as probe atoms for the identification of defects in semiconductors are collected in Table 1. For the probes l'lmCd/lllCd and L1lIn/ll'Cd, Fig. 10 shows the more detailed decay schemes. Note that in both cases the hyperfine interaction is measured for the identical isomeric state ( E = 245 keV, I = 5/2) of the common (daughter) probe "Cd, whereas the angular correlation is observed via two different y1 transitions: 151 keV and 171 keV, respectively, which is the reason for the different A , , coefficients listed in Table 1 and experimentally shown in Fig. 21. Therefore, a direct comparison of the '"Cd and hyperfine interaction parameters measured with the probes lllIn can be made. This fact was used for establishing the lattice site of In
''
TABLE I ISOTOPES OF PAC PROBE ATOMSUSED IN SEMICONDUCTORS AS parent AND daughter PROBE,RESPECTIVELY. FOR THE parent PROBETHE HALF LIE TI ,( TI,, = T In 2 ) , THE DECAY MODE(EC = ELECTRON CAPTURE, IT = INTERNAL TRANSITION), AND THE RECOIL EWRGY ARE LISTED.FORTHE ISOMERIC NUCLEAR STATEOF THE daughter PROBE,THE EXCITATION ENERGYE. SPINI" (WITHPARITYn). HALFLIFE T,,,, QUADRUPOLE MOMENTQ (ABSOLUTE VALUE) AND THE ENERGIES OF THE ;1-7, CASCADE ALONGWITH THE ANGULAR CORRELATION COEFFICIENT A,, ARE LISTED(Ledercr and Shirley. 1978) Parent Probe
w
Daughter Probe
Decay
Isotope
+ 00
'jSe "Br '9Rb looPd "'Ag 1 1 1mCd
"'In "'Cd
7.1 h 57h 23 m 3.6 d 7.5 d 49 m 2.8 d 2.4 h
B+ EC B+,EC EC
8IT EC
8-
39 0.9" 73 0.2 3.7 ~
0.9 7.6
13As "Se '9Kr looRh "Cd "Cd '"Cd 1i71n
T h e emission of causes an additional recoil energy of 4.3 eV bT,.2= 5 ns of the 750 keV state emitting yl.
67 250 147 75 245 245 245 660
5:2512$2 2+ 5,'2 512 5/2+ 3/2+ -
+
+
5 9 79 214 85 85 85 60
0.60 0.76 1
0.08 0.83 0.83 0.83 0.64
361 755 143 84 96 151 171 90b
67 250 147 75 245 245 245 345
- 0.06 - 0.45
> +0.1
+0.17 -0.13 f0.18 -0.18 f0.13
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
1112-
lllmCd
T ~= 49 , ~min 151 keV
512' TI;>= 85 ns y2
319
y,
2
171 keV
b
2
245 keV
112+
FIG. 10. Nuclear decay schemes of the (parent) probes "'"'Cd and '"In listed in Table I; both populate the same excited 512' nuclear state at 245 keV used for detecting the electric field gradient. (The lifetime 7 is related to the half-life 7',,z by T = Tl,,/ln 2.)
in CdS (see Section 111.2) and for the discussion of the so called decay ufterefect, which is linked to the elemental transmutation of the (parent) probe to the (daughter) probe during its B-decay (see Section 111.4). Table I also lists the recoil energy E , that is transferred to the probe by its B-decay. In case of an electron-capture (EC) decay, which represents a two-body decay consisting of the (daughter) nucleus and the anti-neutrino, the requirements of conservation of energy and momentum yield a unique value for E,, which is given by Eq. (34) in Section V.2. In case of a B- or 1' decay, the listed recoil energy represents an angular and momentum averaged value, which takes into account the angular and momentum distribution of the three-body decay. With the exception of the (parent) isotopes 73Se and 79Rb,the listed recoil energies are around or well below 5eV, which, in most cases, is small compared with the energy required to displace a substitutional lattice atom. Note that in the case of 77Br the energy E(y = 755 keV of the first y transition gives rise to the recoil energy E:,/2Mc2 = 4.3 eV that significantly exceeds the value of E , = 0.9 eV due to the EC decay. The direct observation of the displacement of a (parent) probe and the production of Frenkel pairs due to this effect will be discussed in Section V.2. A typical value of the absolute number of (parent) probe atoms N used for a PAC experiment is a few times 10" (probe "'In). The upper limit of probe atoms is determined by the increasing probability of unwanted accidental or random y1-y2 coincidences, which occur if y1 and y z were emitted by two different probe atoms. For the same number of probe atoms
320
THOMAS WICHEKT
N and for the lifetimes of the (parent) probe z p and of the nuclear isomeric state of the (daughter) probe atom T ~ the , ratio real to random coincidences is given by z p / ( z dN); usually z,,is replaced by a coincidence time window of 1 ps, so that the activity of the source N/zp should not exceed lo6 decays/s in order to obtain a real to random coincidence count rate of more than 1 (Schatz and Weidinger, 1996). The number of probes given here converts into typical local concentrations of the order of 10'6cm-3, assuming an area of 1 cm2 and a depth distribution of 1OOOA. As a consequence, the sensitivity to defects can reach values of a few times 1014cm- 3, if there are no competing trapping centers. These values are typical for (parent) probe atoms that have been introduced by ion implantation at energies of about 100 keV. More extended depth distributions for the probe atoms, and thereby lower local concentrations, are achieved by high-energy implantation, occurring via in situ nuclear reactions (Wehner rz of., 1995) or heavy-ion recoil implantation (Briissler et al., 1989). Although doping of semiconductors by implantation is clean and applicable to all probe atoms irrespective of the element of the (parent) probe atom, the accompanying radiation damage has to be annealed out before experiments are performed. Thus, on one hand, the lattice damage complicates the doping procedure; on the other hand, a study of the lattice defects that are typical for the implantation process becomes easy under these conditions. In addition to implantation, diffusion also is used for doping as in the case of II-VI semiconductors (Wichert et of., 1993). Samples also can be doped during crystal growth; however, this must be accomplished within a time interval comparable to the lifetime of the (parent) probe atom used, for example, during a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process carried out with a radioactive precursor (Filz et al., 1996). With regard to sensitivity to defects, at least 3% of all probe atoms should be involved in the formation of the same probe atom-defect complex in ordcr to attain a statistically significant, defect-related amplitude in the PAC spectrum. 4. EXPERIMENTAL ASPECTS According to Eq. (9), at least two y-detectors are necessary to measure the angular correlation between y1 and y 2 as a function of time. Thus, an electronic setup is required that analyzes the energy E , and the arrival time t, for each detected 1'-ray. As y-detectors, NaI(TI) or BaF, crystals, coupled to a photomultiplier, are used; they have time resolution of about 1.5 ns and 0.5 ns, respectively, and energy resolution of about 10-15% and 25%, respectively. More details about the required electronic setup are found
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS 25000, In
8
321
I
20000
c
$ ._
15000
._ c
10000
u
c
5000 0 -0.10
-0.05
a
0.00
0.05I
0
0
I 300
200
100
200
300
400
500
600
FIG. I I . Spectruni of the recorded ;J-Y coincidences I ( @ , t ) [see Eq. (9)] along with the extracted PAC spectrum R(t) [Eq. (24)] and its Fourier transform F ( o ) .
elsewhere (Wichert et al., 1992; Schatz and Weidinger, 1996). The experimental data c the y-7' coincidences measured as a function of the elapsed time t at an angle @--are accumulated in a histogram number of events I ( @ , r ) vs time t, which is shown in Fig. 11, top). In current PAC experiments, at least four detectors are used for recording simultaneously several coincidence spectra I(@, t), which usually correspond to the detector combinations enclosing the angles 0 = 180" or 90'. After subtraction of the time-independent background of accidental coincidences from each spectrum, the following ratio can be formed with m and n spectra recorded with 0 = 180" and 90", respectively:
with
322
THOMAS WICHERT
For the case of four detectors, m and n would be 4 and 8, respectively. The holds for the polycrystalline case and k,,, = 2. expression R ( t ) = AZ2GZ2(t) By using Eq. (24), the different efficiencies of the y-detectors cancel and the ) to the lifetime T of the intermediate nuclear exponential factor exp( - t / ~ due state i s eliminated. A more detailed discussion of this procedure can be found elsewhere (Arends et a/., 1980; Butz, 1989). The resulting time spectrum R ( t ) is called the PAC time spectrum and is shown in Fig. 11 (center) for the probe " 'In. In the same figure, its Fourier transform F(w) makes directly visible the three frequencies Q, that are connected with a single electric field gradient tensor caused by a defect at the probe "'In/"'Cd. From the ratio o z / w l the asymmetry parameter (see Fig. 5) and from col via the parameter g(q) the component V,, of the field gradient [see Eq. (14)] are achieved. For a known orientation of the y-detectors with respect to the crystal lattice, the amplitudes S,, visible in the Fourier transform F(to), yield the orientation of the electric field gradient tensor, from which the orientation of the probe atom-defect pair can be deduced (see Fig. 7). Because of the solid angle of the y detectors, the accuracy in determining the actual orientation ( i j k ) of the electric field gradient tensor i s of the order of 5". The solid line in the time spectrum is the result of a least-squares fit of Eqs. (20) and (21) to the experimental data.
111. Substitutional Dopants
The electric field gradient, measured at the site of the radioactive probe atom, is the primary tool for the study of point defects in a PAC experiment. Because its strength falls off as F 3(see Fig. 4), only defects within a distance r of a few angstroms from the probe atom contribute to an observable electric field gradient. Therefore, PAC is especially sensitive to the formation of close defect pairs and supplies information on the chemical nature, composition, and geometrical arrangement of a probe atom-defect complex. Because of their mutual coulombic interaction in semiconductors, probe atom-defect complexes are most easily formed between donor-like (D +) and acceptor-like ( A - ) defects according to
yielding donor-acceptor complexes with binding energies of typically 0.5 eV. Here, the radioactive (parent) probe atom substitutes either for the positive D + or the negative A - , and the oppositely charged defect in the complex gives rise to the characteristic electric field gradient at the site of the
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
- at!
323
X
FIG. 12. Different stages of defect identification: (a) doping with the radioactive (parent) probe "'In; (b) formation of the (parent) probe atom-defect-complex; (c) detection of the complex formed at the (daughter) probe "'Cd following /?-decay of the (parent) probe. Note that in (a) the electric field gradient at the site of the probe atom is zero.
(daughter) probe atom. Of course, the two defects in Eq. (25) d o not have to be singly charged as will be shown for Cd-P pairs in Si (Figs. 25 and 26). In Fig. 12(a), the radioactive probe "'In acts as the donor in the 11-VI semiconductor ZnSe because it is incorporated on the cation sublattice. As the probe occupies a substitutional lattice site in a lattice with cubic symmetry, the electric field gradient has to be zero (see Fig. 4).In Fig. 12(b), the donor-like probe is paired with a P defect, which is incorporated as the acceptor on the anion sublattice. Eventually, Fig. 12(c) shows that the presence of the P defect is detected at the (daughter) probe '"Cd by measuring the defect induced electric field gradient, following the chemical transmutation of the (parent) probe l 1 'In through P-decay. Therefore, the electric field gradient characterizes the 'Cd,,-P,, pair and not the l 1 lInz,-Ps, pair, but its existence proves the preceding formation of an l 1 lInzn-Ps, pair. Possible electric field gradients, created by the presence of more distant defects, are not resolved but only give rise to a distribution of electric field gradients near to zero as will be shown in Fig. 14 (see site #1) and is described by Eq. (20) with on= 0. Because of the limited time window, which is determined by the nuclear lifetime of the isomeric state of the (daughter) probe atom, the strengths of these electric field gradients are too small to give rise to perturbations of the yy-angular correlation that would result in unique frequencies in the Fourier transform of the time spectrum. Via the observation of a donor-acceptor pair the following information is obtained:
I. The site of the (parent) probe atom, for example, "'In has to be localized on a cation site in order to act as a donor in 11-VI semiconductors.
324
THOMAS WICHERT
I[. The presence of point-defects, because the formation of the donoracceptor pair requires the presence of point defects, which would be acceptor-like defects in this example. 111. The chemical identity of the point defect because of its characteristic electric field gradient. IV. The mobility of either defect D or A. V. The stability of the donor-acceptor pair. VI. Dynamic effects causcd by electronic or geometrical fluctuations at the complex formed with the (daughter) probe. Although the formation of donor-acceptor pairs is particularly favored by the coulombic interaction, it will be shown that the formation of probe atom-defect complexes with the charges of probe atom and defect of the same sign is also possible if the formation happens athermally (see site # 2 in Fig. 14 and Table VII). However, in most cases, for the investigation of acceptor- and donor-type defects donor- and acceptor-type probe atoms are needed, respectively. In addition to the probe '"In for the case of II-VI semiconductors as shown in Fig. 12, the isotope "Br is available as a donor probe and the isotopes 79Rb and "'Ag are available as acceptor probes, which are suitable for PAC investigations (Table I). Thc isotope '"In has been the most often used PAC (parent) probe isotope; it can act as a substitutional donor in II-VI semiconductors and a substitutional acceptor in elemental semiconductors. The fact that this isotope represents the most efficient PAC probe led to the first successful investigation of donor-acceptor complexes in ZnO by Wolf et ul. (1986) and in Si by Wichert et ul. (1986). As In is isoelectronic in III-V semiconductors, the corresponding investigations in these materials started much later using less well-suited probes such as the isotope I'lrnCd (Achtziger et ul., 1989).
1. DONOK-ACCEPTOR PAIRING
In 11-Vl as well as in elemental semiconductors, the probe In and group V elements are known to act as shallow dopants. While these elements are known to compensate each other, little is known about the structural aspects of this compensation: that is, do these elements form close pairs or larger complexes when they are mobile during high-temperature processes and what are the structures and thermal stabilities of such defect complexes'? As discussed by Wichert and Swanson (1989) for Si, limited evidence for the existence of donor-acceptor pairs was provided by electrical measurements at p-n junctions and by infrared absorption measurements of the local
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
325
vibration modes. From photoluminescence caused by donor-acceptor pair recombination, information about the spatial distribution of the impurities is available because the modification of the transition energy by the Coulomb interaction leads to a series of different photoluminescence lines. However, for distances shorter than the respective Bohr radii of the neutral dopants, this information is difficult to obtain. In addition to EPR, more direct, microscopic information was obtained by ion channneling experiments, which for Si show an enhanced solubility of group 111 elements if group V elements are simultaneously present. The assumption of Ill-V atom pairing offers a natural explanation; the solubility is enhanced by the energy gained through the pairing process. Historically, it was this information that triggered the systematic PAC studies in Si (Wichert et ul., 1986). They confirmed this explanation in terms of pairing effects. The effect of pairing on the solubility of Cu, observed to be extreme in p-type Si, will be discussed in Section IV.3. In the first example, Ostheimer et al. (1996) implanted N-, P-, As-, and Sb-doped ZnSe crystals with the probe l 1 'In (Fig. 13). The 350 keV implantation results in a Gaussian depth distribution centered at about 1000 A
-0.05 0.00
FIG. 13. PAC spectra R(r) and their Fourier transforms F ( o ) showing the formation of donor-acceptor pairs between the donor '"In and different group-V acceptors in N-, P-, As-, and Sb-doped ZnSe after annealing at the indicated temperatures. Reprinted from Ostheimer rt (I/. (1996) with permission from the authors.
326
THOMAS WICHERT
1
FIG. 14. For As-doped CdTe, Fourier transforms of a series of PAC spectra show the fractions of "'In probes at weakly or completely undisturbed lattice sites ( # l ) , in InCd-VTs complexes (#2). and in In,,,-As,, pairs ( #3) as a function of annealing temperature.
with a width of 5 0 0 k The number of '"In atoms implanted through a 5 mm diaphragm was 3 x 10'' as determined from the y-activity of the ZnSe crystal. Neglecting any diffusional broadening due to the following thermal ~ . retreatment, the peak concentration stayed below 1.2 x 10'' ~ m - The spective group V elements were preimplanted into the same depth with a peak concentration of about 1019cmP3.A typical annealing sequence of the implantation-induced radiation damage will be discussed in Fig. 14, which deals with As-doped CdTe. In the present case, the annealing of the ZnSe crystals was performed by heating the crystal for 30min under excess Zn vapor in the range 800-1000K. In all cases, the PAC time spectrum R(t) shows a modulated fraction f , on top of an almost time-independent fraction fo. As was already discussed in the context of Fig. 12, In atoms on a defect-free substitutional site of the ZnSe lattice are characterized by a zero electric field gradient and, therefore, belong to the fraction fo. The Fourier transform F ( u ) of the R(t) spectrum shows that the modulation is composed of three frequencies w,, with o1+ w 2 = (a3,indicating that the fraction fi of '"In probes experiences an electric field gradient. For the top PAC spectrum of N-doped ZnSe, the ratio CO,/O>, = 2 belongs to the asymmetry parameter y = 0 or V,., = V,, according to Fig. 5 (right). With g(y) = 1, according to Eq. (14) the frequency m1 yields the quadrupole coupling constant vQ = (10/3n)01 = 271 MHz with a statistical error of 1-2 MHz.
6
PERTURBED
ANGULARCORRELATION
STUDIES OF
DEFECTS
327
Both fo and f l represent uhsolute fractions of '"In probes because Eqs. (24) and (21) show that the signal amplitude belonging to f = 100% of the probe atoms depends only on the angular correlation coefficient A,, or, in general, on Akl(yl)Ak,(y2) (see also Section V.1). Because they are determined by the different angular momenta of the nucleus involved in the emission of the y - y cascade, these coefficients are usually well known from nuclear physics; alternatively, they are easily experimentally calibrated for a particular sample-detector geometry. Thus, the extracted values of f o = 70% and f l = 30% yield formation of about 10' In-defect complexes, corresponding to a local concentration of 3 to 4 x l o L 6cmP3.In the P-, As-, and Sb-doped ZnSe crystals, the respective In-defect complexes are also characterized by axially symmetric electric field gradients (q = 0), but with different coupling constants of vQ = 219 MHz, 196 MHz, and 156 MHz, respectively. Without theoretical calculations of the electric field gradients, the measured electric field gradients are solely accurate fingerprints that will aid in recognizing the corresponding In-defect complexes in future experiments with high confidence. Because the occurrence of the different, well-distinguished electric field gradients observed here is strongly related to the chemical element introduced into the crystal and to its concentration and because the different values exhibit a systematic variation with the respective group V elements (see Fig. 19), these complexes were assigned to In-N, In-P, In-As, and In-Sb donor-acceptor pairs. However, such a correlation might also lead to a wrong assignment of the observed electric field gradient; this will be discussed in the context of Fig. 63, Section V.3. The more detailed investigations of these probe atom-defect complexes that are required are made easily possible due to the known electric field gradients and are performed by varying parameters, including annealing conditions, sample temperature, and dopant concentration; the latter dependence will be discussed in Fig. 23. For CdTe that was doped with ll'In probes and As atoms by implantation, the annealing of the implantation induced lattice damage and the accompanying formation of In-As pairs is shown in Fig. 14 (Wichert 1995). In place of the PAC time spectra, which in part will be given in Fig. 56 (right-hand side), the sequence of their Fourier transforms is given; this sequence belongs to the as-implanted state at 300 K and to different, subsequent annealing steps up to 735 K. Distinguished by their electric field gradients, these data directly reveal the population of three different sites by the probe "'In. Site #1 is characterized by a static distribution of different electric field gradients about w, = 0 with a width CJ = Aw/2n that decreases from 15 MHz at 300 K to about zero above 485 K [see Eq. (20)]; note that the larger the high-frequency tail of the frequency distribution at w = 0, the larger is Aw. This distribution of electric field gradients at small frequencies
'
328
THOMAS WICHGRT
is typical of the presence of defects that are not in the immediate neighborhood of the probe atom. Defects at larger distances only contribute small electric field gradients and, at the same time, they give rise to a variety of different electric field gradients because of the larger number of possible configurations with respect to the probe atom. Thus, the annealing of the more distant defects is visible via the decrease of AOJand the increase of the amplitude of the Fourier component at w = 0, which was called ,f,, in the preceding discussion of the ZnSe data. The increase of f b continues up to 485 K. Above this temperature, a new defect forms with the (parent) probe "'In and, at the same time, the fraction Jb decreases. This new site #3 is characterized by vQ = 186 MHz and q = 0 and belongs to In-As pairs in CdTe, which were also observed as fraction f l in ZnSe (Fig. 13). Thus, a prerequisite for the formation of In-As pairs is the annealing of the radiation damage and the mobilization of at least one of the two atoms involved. Besides diffuse signal #1, site #2, which is also visible directly after the implantation process, is characterized by a unique electric field gradient with vQ = 114 MHz and y~ = 0. This electric field gradient seems to be caused by an intrinsic V,, defect leading to the athermal formation of Incd-K,, complexes, which will be discussed in more detail in the context of Fig. 56 (see Section V.l). It is obvious that more quantitative information on the formation probability and, thereby, on the binding energy of a donor-acceptor complex requires the determination of the fraction of paired dopants within appropriate temperature sequences as will also be shown in Fig.64 (see Section V.3). Because of the temperature independence of the angular correlation parameter A k l k Zthe , defect-related signal depends only on the actual fraction of probe atom-defect pairs if dynamic effects are properly taken into account. It usually does not depend on the measuring temperature, as is sometimes the case for other methods, for example, Mossbauer spectroscopy. Therefore, experiments in a wide range of temperatures can be performed and quantitative information on the concentration of pairs can be obtained with PAC. Examples of PAC experiments that show temperature-dependent dynamic effects in Si will be given for In-P pairs (Fig.27), In-H pairs (Fig. 36), and In-Cu pairs (Fig. 47). The PAC spectra in Fig. 15 show the formation of "'In-donor pairs in 1989; Wichert and Swanson, 1989). Here, the probe atoms Si (Wichert et d., are acceptors and the complexes are formed with the P, As, Sb, or Bi donors. The PAC spectra were measured after implanting "'In probes with 40 or 350 keV into Si crystals that were doped with P or As by diffusion and with Sb or Bi by implantation. Again, annealing at the indicated temperatures is required to remove the implantation-induced radiation damage and to mobilize the dopants for the pairing process. In all cases, unique electric field gradients are obtained and the analysis of the R(t) spectra yields the
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS -0.15
0
SI P(15 10'8)
SI As ( 7 5 10t8)
329
TA=SOOK
900 K
-010
-*
-0.05
I
o
[L
Si Sb(910'')
1050K
-010.
O
SI
BI
(710~01
llOOK
-Oo5i
'6
50
100 150 200 250 360 t inseci
FIG. 15. PAC spectra of P-, As-, Sb-, and Bi-doped Si showing the formation of donoracceptor pairs with the acceptor '''In after annealing at the indicated temperatures. Reprinted from Wichert et nl. (1989) with permission from the authors.
coupling constants vQ = 179 MHz (In-P), 229 MHz (In-As), 271 MHz (InSb), and 386 MHz (In-Bi) along with q = 0 in all cases. These signals evidently label the presence of different donor atoms for the In-donor complexes in Si, as will be discussed in more detail in what follows. In addition to showing that the dopants involved are mobile, the formation of the different donor-acceptor pairs proves that the annealing conditions used are sufficient for incorporating the introduced elements as ionized dopants on substitutional lattice sites. Finally, it should be remarked that the two different fractions of In atoms, denoted by f o and ,fl, do not always add up to loo%, as is particularly visible in the case of Sb-doped ZnSe (Fig. 13) because A , , is about -0.10. The missing fraction of "'In probes is given by f u = (1 - ,fo - f , ) and belongs to probes in an undefined environment, which is characterized by electric field gradients that are too large to be resolvable because of insufficient time resolution.
a.
Orientation und Symmetry of' the Electric Field Gradient
In addition to the strength of the electric field gradient, given by the parameter vQ = e Q y Z / h ,the symmetry, expressed by the parameter y, and
330
THOMAS WICHEKT
250
"0
500
750
wlMrad/st Fici. 16. Fourier transforms of PAC spectra that were recorded by y-detectors oriented along (100) and ( I 10) (top) and along (11 1 ) (bottom) crystallographic axes of the Si host lattice. Reprintcd from Wichert ct t i / . (1989) with permission from the authors.
the orientation have to be known for a complete characterization of the defcct-related electric field gradient tensor. With respect to the orientation, Fig. 16 shows the Fourier transformation of two PAC experiments for the same P-doped Si sample but for different orientations of the y detectors with respect to the Si crystal. In both cases, the three frequencies of the ln-P pair (va,= 179 MHz, here denoted by In-P1) are observed and the frequency = 2 confirms the axial symmetry of the electric field gradient. ratio By positioning the y detectors along different crystallographic directions (in the current case, along (100) and (1 10) (top) and along (11 1) (bottom)), as was discussed in Section 11, the orientation of the symmetry axis of the electric field gradient tensor can be obtained. For the (1 11) orientation of the y detectors the frequencies w 2 and w3 almost disappear and a comparison with Fig. 7 shows that the corresponding electric field gradient tensor possesses (1 11) symmetry. This assignment is confirmed by the fact that the amplitude of w 2 dominates the Fourier transform if the y detectors are oriented along (100) and (1 10) crystallographic directions. The same results are obtained for the other donor-acceptor pairs in Figs. 13 and 15. The observed axial symmetry about a ( 1 11) lattice direction of these electric field gradients supports their assignments to close "'In-acceptor pairs in ZnSe (Fig. 12) and to close 'In-donor pairs in Si (see configuration a1 in Fig. 17). Because the symmetries and orientations of the different electric
''
6 PERTURBED ANGULAR CORRELATION
t) I
112
STUDIES OF DEFECTS
331
b.3
FIG. 17. Configurations of donor-acceptor complexes formed between the (parent) probe "'In (top) or l'l"'Cd (bottom) and substitutional donor atoms (D) in Si.
field gradients are identical ( q = 0, (1 1l)), a comparison of their different strengths v g should provide more insight into the chemical identity of these complexes (see Section 111.1.b). With respect to the symmetry, Fig. 18 shows the Fourier spectra of As-doped Si that was subjected to different thermal treatments. This sample is doped with 2.15 x lo2' As cmP3,instead of 7.5 x 1OI8As C M - ~shown in Fig. 15. Because of the (1 11) geometry of the y-detectors used here and the (1 11) orientation of the known In-As pair (In-Asl, vQ = 229 MHz), w1 is primarily observed. In addition, a second and new field gradient is visible whose frequency ratio w,/wl = 1.35 yields q = 0.65 according to Fig. 5; that is, the field gradient is no longer axially symmetric and the coupling constant of this complex (In-As2) is vQ = 238 MHz [note that y(q) = 1.38 in Eq. ( 1 4 ) ~Because formation of this complex is favored by high concentrations of As atoms, as will also be shown in Fig. 23, it is concluded that the new complex contains more than a single As atom, probably two As atoms next to the '"In probe. Possible configurations of both In-As complexes, which are denoted by In-As1 and In-As2 and assigned to In-As, and In-As, complexes, respectively, are drawn in Fig. 17 (top). The models are based mainly on the requirement of (1 11) axial symmetry measured for the In-As, pair and on the asymmetry parameter = 0.65 measured for the In-As, complex. With a crude point charge model for the In-As2 complex, it can be qualitatively understood that the asymmetry parameter is very large as well as that the relative strengths (i.e., V,, v g ) of the two complexes with vg = 229 M H z
-
332
THOMAS W~CHEKT
2k
OO'
200
a0
600
800
1000
w (Mradlsl
FIG. 18. Fourier spectra of Si doped with "'In and As (2.2 x 1020cm-3) after annealing at 900 K, 1170 K, and at 900 K again. Both 900 K spectra show that more In-As, clusters (denoted by In-As2) are present than at 1170K. Reprinted from Wichert et cil. (1989) with permission from the authors.
(In-Asl) and 238MHz (In-As21 are almost identical. As long as reliable calculations of the electric field gradients are not available, however, the proposed models remain tentative; in particular, they are not able to provide any insight into possible lattice relaxations accompanying the pair formation. I t should also be noted that the substitutional lattice sites of the probe "In and the corresponding dopant atoms, as proposed by the configurations in Figs. 12 and 17, cannot be inferred from the measured electric field gradients without theory. Rather, the existence of the mutual coulombic interaction, which causes the formation and thermal stability of the donoracceptor pairs, suggests the occupation of the respective substitutional lattice sites by the group V and In probe atoms as ionized donors and acceptors, respectively. Information about the lattice sites of probe atoms that form isolated defects in the host lattice will be discussed in Section 111.2.
6. Strength qf the Elcctric Field Gradient The strengths of electric field gradients ( t z or va) that characterize the formation of the different donor-acceptor pairs in Figs. 13 and 15 show a
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
333
monotonic dependence on the atomic number of the involved group V element: the increase of the atomic number causes a decrease of the electric field gradient for the acceptors N, P, As, and Sb in ZnSe and an increase of the electric field gradient for the donors P, As, Sb, and Bi in Si. Recalling that the electric field gradient is measured at the (daughter) probe atom, this difference in the systematic behavior seems to point out the different character of the (daughter) probe-defect complexes in ZnSe and Si. The simpler case occurs in ZnSe. Here, the probe '"Cd is isoelectronic with the atoms of the cation sublattice and the local charge distribution is controlled by the group V element. Thus, for all 11-VI semiconductors doped with group V elements, a simple relationship between vQ and d - 3 , the bond length of the Cd-acceptor pair, can be expected and has been observed for ZnSe, ZnTe, and CdTe by Ostheimer et al. (1996). For ZnSe, the result is shown in Fig. 19, where d was determined by the sum of the covalent radii of the involved (daughter) probe "'Cd and the group V element. The plot clearly exhibits a linear dependence of the electric field gradient on dK3 for P, As, and Sb, which would be expected in the framework of a simple point charge model for calculating the electric field gradient. The same observation holds for ZnTe and CdTe. In view of the successful role played by the group V element N for producing p-type ZnSe (Haase et al., 1991), it is interesting that in none of the investigated semiconductors ZnSe, ZnTe, and CdTe do the Cd-N pairs follow this linear relationship. Using the calculated bond length of 2.18 A in ZnSe, the corresponding vp value (open circle in Fig. 19) significantly
400
300
-!$
- ZnSe -
h
200
0
100
0 0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
d-3(k3) FIG. 19. Bond lengths d and electric field gradients, expressed by the coupling constants V pairs in ZnSe (closed squares). For the explanation of the open symbols see text. Reprinted from Ostheimer et al. (1996) with permission from the authors. vgr of different "'Cd-group
334
THOMAS WICHERT
exceeds the experimental value of 271 MHz (closed square). Assuming the observed linear relationship to be valid also for N, the experimental value of vQ yields the bond length It = 2.42 A for the Cdz,-Ns, pair (open square), which is smaller than the Zn-Se bond length of the ZnSe lattice. The accompanying local contraction of the lattice is obviously accomplished by an inward relaxation of the neighboring cations (Se or Te) towards the smaller N acceptor and not the other way around because, in all three lattices, including CdTe, a single electric field gradient characterizes the Cd-N pair. In contrast, a relaxation of the N acceptor towards the neighboring cations, in particular in CdTe where the l l l C d probe is chemically indistinguishable from the remaining Cd host atoms, should give rise to three different electric field gradients. The change of the N-related bond length, as deduced from the linear relationship shown in Fig. 19, is in good agreement with theoretical calculations of the bond length for Zn-N pairs in ZnSe and ZnTe (Van de Walle and Laks, 1995). In Si (Wichert and Swanson, 1989), as in G e (Forkel et al., 1992), the situation is more complicated because the (daughter) probe '"Cd forms a double acceptor in these lattices and as a result the electronic charge distribution and, therefore, the magnitude of the electric field gradient depend on both constituents. Under the assumption that the electronic charge distribution about the probe atom depends on the ionicities of both constituents (i.e., on the difference in their electronegativities), the strength of the electric field gradient at the site of the "'Cd nucleus would depend on the relative electronegativity of the group V donor. In this model, the electric field gradient should increase if the electronegativity of the donor decreases or its atomic number increases. As already shown in Fig. 15 for Si, the experimentally observed values of the electric field gradient of the "'Cd-group V pairs in Si and in Ge increase with the atomic number of the group V element and are in agreement with this model.
c.
Cakulution of the Electric Field Gradient
In the last decade, electric field gradient calculations based on the full-potential linearized-augmented-plane-wave (LAPW) method were performed by Blaha et al. (1996), which for metals, insulators, and ionic compounds have provided reliable and accurate results. In these materials, the electric field gradient is caused by the electronic structure of the host lattice itself with lattice symmetry lower than cubic. Meanwhile, the first successful calculations are underway for electric field gradients that are caused by defects in semiconductors with cubic lattice structure (Blaha et al., 1998). These results will improve qualitative considerations, such as
6
PERTURBED ANGULAR CORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
335
those discussed in the context of Fig. 19. With the help of reliable calculations of the electric field gradient, which is the defect-related quantity measured at the site of the (daughter) probe by PAC, the direct identification of a defect complex will immediately become possible. In addition, it has turned out that accurate information for the local lattice relaxation about a complex can be obtained because the defect-induced relaxation strongly influences the result of the calculated electric field gradient tensor ~ as a result of the Y - dependence. Preliminary results for defect-related electric field gradients in CdTe are shown in Table I1 for different group V elements X. They were obtained by the LAPW method using a Cd,,Te,,X- supercell, consisting of 32 atoms. As was discussed in the context of Fig. 14, '"InCd-AsTe complexes were formed in CdTe and the electric field gradient tensor was measured at the (daughter) probe "'Cd in the II1CdCd-AsTecomplex; the same holds for the other group V elements. This means that the electric field gradient caused by an isolated AsTe defect has to be calculated at the nearest neighbor Cd site. In Table 11, the experimental V,, values were derived from the measured m2; it should be coupling constant vQ = eQV,,/h using Q = 0.83 x recalled that the sign of V,, cannot be determined in a y-y PAC experiment. The comparison between experiment and theory shows that the strengths of the electric field gradients, obtained by these ub initio calculations, reproduce the trend that the V,, values decrease as the atomic number of the group V elements increases and that the absolute values of V,, agree surprisingly well. At the same time, the measured asymmetry (q = 0) and orientation ( ( i j k ) = (111)) of the electric field gradient tensors are reproduced by theory. The last column lists the relative lattice relaxations induced TABLE 11 EXPERIMENTAL (Ostheimer et al., 1996) AND THEORETICAL ELECTRIC FIELDGRADIENTS V,, (Blaha et ul., 1998) CAUSED BY GROUPV ELEMENTS X AT THE (daughter) PROBE I1'Cd(Q = 0.83 x 10-28m2)IN CdTe. THEORETICAL CALCULATIONS ARE BASEDON A Cd, ,Te, 5X-SUPERCELL. IN ALLCASES,EXPERIMENT AND THEORY YIELD4 = 0 AND Kzll( 1 11). THECd-X RELAXATIONIS GIVENWITH REFERENCETO THE UNRELAXED Cd-Te DISTANCE 2.81 8, Experiment
Complex ICd,,-N,, "'Cd,d-P,, ' I 'Cd,,-As,, 'liCd,d-Sb,,
Theory
VQ
K,
L
Relaxation
(MH4
(loz1Vjrn')
(10'' v/m2)
(Yo)
280 212 186 153
14.0 10.6 + 9.27 7.62
13.9 - 10.7 - 9.5 - 1.5
- 22 - 10 -8 -3
--
336
THOMAS WICHEKT
FIG. 20. Lattice relaxation about Cd-D pairs in Si (D = P, As, and Sb), which result from theoretical calculations of the electric field gradient by Settels er trl. (1998). Shown are the (110) plane, containing the Cd-D pair and two Si host atoms, and the three-dimensional arrangement of the Cd-D complex.
by the different group V elements. These results support the strong inward lattice relaxation about the N acceptor, which was already discussed in the context of Fig. 19. As a different theoretical approach, the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (KKR) Green’s function method has been used by Settels et al. (1998) for performing ub initio calculations of defect-related electric field gradient tensors in Si and Ge. This formalism is best suited for taking into account the fact that the translational symmetry of the crystal is broken by the presence of a 1990). In these calculations, possible relaxations are also defect (Akai et d., included because of the requirement that for each host atom the resulting forces vanish. Figure 20 shows the relaxation about the different Cd-D complexes (D = P, As, and Sb) in Si that is important for reproducing the experimental field gradients in an adequate way with this theory. In the top left-hand portion of the figure, the three-dimensional arrangement of the Cd-D complex in the Si host lattice is displayed. The other three sections of the figure show the (1 10) plane that contains the Cd-D pair along with its two neighboring Si host atoms. The numbers given are the relative relaxations as a percentage of the bond length. The comparison between experiment and theory in Table I11 demonstrates that the systematic
6
PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION
STUDIES OF
337
DEFECTS
TABLE 111 CALCULATIONS OF ELECTRIC FIELDGRADIENTS FOR Cd-D PAIRS( D = P, As, and Sb) BY Settels et a/., 1998 I N Si A N D Ge COMPARRII W I T H EXPERIMENTAL V A L U ~(Wichert S and OF THE ELECTRIC FIELD Swanson, 1989; Forkel et ul,, 1992). LISTEDIS THE MAGNITUDE GRADIENT TENSORy z .IN ALLCASES,EXPERIMENT A N D THEORY AGREEWITH REGARD TO THE SYMMETRY (q = 0 ) AND ORIENTATION ( Vzz11 ( 1 11 )) OF THE TENSOR Silicon Experiment
Kz
Germanium Theory
Experiment
KZ
Theory
“P
vz
v,,
Complex
(MHz)
(10” Vjm’)
(10” V/m2)
(MHz)
(10’’ V/m’)
(10’’ V/mZ)
“‘Cd-P “‘Cd-As “‘Cd-Sb
17Y
8.9 i11.4 13.5
- 10.0
229 271
- 11.8
86 148 20 1
** 4.3 7.4 rt: 10.0
VQ
-11.1
1
- 5.3 - 7.9 -8.1
dependence of the strength of the electric field gradient on the atomic mass of the group V element is reproduced. Also, the agreement of the absolute values is very satisfactory, taking the preliminary character of these calculations into account.
2. LATTICESITESOF ISOLATED PROBE ATOMS Lattice site and charge state of impurity atoms are mutually dependent, and the technological interest in the control of the population of the lattice sites of, particularly, implanted dopants and in the influence of thermal treatments on this population is well known. In semiconductors that have lattices with lower than cubic symmetry, the lattice site of an isolated probe atom that serves as a dopant can be inferred directly from the electric field gradient produced by the charge distribution of the host lattice. In lattices with diamond or zincblende structure exhibiting cubic symmetry, such as Si and ZnSe (Fig. 12a), there are substitutional lattice sites and interstitial sites that have cubic symmetry. Therefore, in these lattices, it is not possible to infer the lattice site from the measurement of a zero electric field gradient in a unique way. Of course, any relaxation of the probe atom itself or of the surrounding host atoms would result in a nonzero electric field gradient if the cubic symmetry about the probe atom is destroyed. A solution to this problem represents the fact that the radioactive probe atom, or one of its neighboring isotopes, usually decays via the emission of a charged particle and, thereby, opens up the possibility of applying the emission-channeling
338
THOMAS WICHERT
technique for determining the lattice location of the probe atom (Hofsass and Lindner, 1991). In contrast to the classical ion-channeling technique (Feldman and Mayer, 1986), this method is applicable down to defect concentrations well below lo'* cm-3 and, therefore, under conditions that are comparable with PAC experiments (see Blocking in Fig. 1). Returning back to PAC, by combining the information determined for two different probe atoms, Magerle et ul. (1991) showed that In in CdS occupies the substitutional Cd site, which is in agreement with electrical measurements that yield n-type conductivity under these conditions. Decisive was that CdS crystallizes in the ZnS wurtzite structure and that the hexagonal host lattice should produce an axially symmetric electric field gradient at the substitutional sites of the Cd and S sublattices with its symmetry axis parallel to the c-axis of the CdS crystal (see A, of Fig. 61). In a first experiment, a CdS crystal was implanted with the probe '"In and annealed under Cd vapor at 1075 K. In Fig. 21(a), the R(t) spectrum and its Fourier transform F(o) show that 100% of the "'In probes experience the same electric field gradient that is characterized by vQ = 7.4 MHz and '1 = 0. The fact that for the chosen orientation of the y detectors with respect to the c-axis of the crystal, only mz is visible, confirms that the orientation of the symmetry axis is along the c-axis. That the Cd site is indeed populated in this experiment was possible to be confirmed in a second experiment without knowledge of the absolute magnitude of the corresponding electric ficld gradient. Here, the radioactive (parent) probe ' T d was implanted and annealed under the same condi-
-om 0.00
0.m
u -o.m OM)
n
I/ \ I . . . , . . . ' . . 0
200
1w
1
1
8000
,\20
10
CA
1"
80
loo"
--
m
I
FIG.21. PAC spectra and their Fourier transforms of CdS after implantation with "'Tn (a) and "'"'Cd (b) and annealing at 1075 K. Reprinted from Wichert (1Y96) with permission from the author.
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
339
tions. As was shown in Fig. 10, the isomeric 5/2+-level of the (daughter) probe 'llCd, used for detecting the electric field gradient, is identical with that of the (parent) probe 'In. Therefore, identical frequencies in both experiments would reveal identical electric field gradients and, thereby, the occupation of the identical lattice site by the probes "'In and """Cd. The data in Fig.21(b) show that the identical frequency was observed in the second experiment and, therefore, that the "'In probes occupy the Cd sites because the probe '"Cd obviously occupies the Cd site after annealing. The 1 8 0 phase shift between the two PAC spectra is caused by nuclear physics; the two different y1 transitions of the respective y-y cascades cause A , , coefficients of opposite signs (Table I). For different 111-V semiconductors, Wehner et al. (1995) published that 100% of the Br atoms are exposed to the identical electric field gradient after implantation and annealing. After annealing an implanted GaAs crystal at 1123 K, the PAC spectrum in Fig. 22 (lower portion) shows that all 77Br probe atoms experience the same electric field gradient characterized by vQ = 299 MHz and axial symmetry about a (11 1) lattice direction. Br
''
a1
ao -0.1
-0.S
I
0
1
0
2
0
9
0
4
0
5
0
I
tlnrwcl
FIG. 22. (Top panel): Substitutional and relaxed configuration of the double donor Br in GaAs. (Bottom panel): PAC spectrum of highly p-doped GaAs after implantation of the probe "Br and subsequent annealing at 1123 K for 120 s. The y detectors are oriented along (110) lattice directions. Reprinted from Wehner et a/. (1995) with permission from the authors.
340
THOMAS WICHERT
atoms on a group V site, as in Fig. 22 (upper portion), are double donors in 111-V semiconductors and should be characterized by a zero electric field gradient because of the zincblende structure if they reside in a defect-free environment. Of particular interest is the fact that 100% of the 77Br probe atoms expcrience a single electric field gradient, which usually excludes an explanation in terms of a probe atom-defect complex formed by the trapping of an additional defect. According to theoretical calculations (Chadi and Chang, 1988; Dabrowski and Schemer, 1992) an anion site double donor could exhibit metastable properties similar to the well-known EL2 and DX defects in GaAs. Thus, a relaxation of a neighboring G a atom, as sketched in Fig.22 (upper portion) would result in the formation of a Br,,-Ga, configuration along with a V,, vacancy and explain the occurrence of an electric field gradient with a symmetry axis along the (1 11) lattice direction. At the same time, this process could affect all Br dopants. Until now, however, it has not been possible to produce the unretaxed state of this configuration that would be easily recognized by its zero electric field gradient. On the other hand, the corresponding experiments in 77Br implanted InAs yield the opposite result, that 100% of the probes experience a zero electric field gradient. Here, future PAC experiments under different doping conditions should be able to identify a possible metastability of the Br atoms.
3. CLUSTERING 01: DOPANTS
In order to investigate the clustering of As atoms in Si, 'ichert ant Swanson (1989) heated Si crystals at 900 K for 10 min followed by a vacuum quench. The data in Fig.23, obtained with the probe l f l I n , confirm the observation (discussed in Section 1ILl.a) that the electric field gradient of the In-As2 complex is caused by the presence of more As atoms than the electric field gradient of the In-As1 complex. At the lowest As concentration, In-As2 is absent; its concentration increases compared to In-As1 for greater As concentrations. Further, its fraction still increases at the highest As concentrations where In-As1 shows saturation. At this concentration, 90% of the 'In probes are in one of the two complexes. Consequently, the two different sites were assigned to In-As pairs and a small In-As, cluster. The fact that 90% of the "'In probes are involved in the formation of In-As and In-As, at the highest As concentration indicates that the In atoms are more mobile than the As atoms at 900 K and, therefore, the formation of In-As, clusters is proportional to the concentration of As, clusters in Si. The higher mobility of the In atoms is also supported by the diffusion coefficients for In and As in Si at this temperature. If one were to assume a
''
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
-
J
341
Si:As
I
I
0.5
I
I
1D
I
I
1.5
CONCENTRATION OF As ATOMS
I
I
2.0
I
I
2.5
(ldOcmP)
FIG. 23. Fractions of "'In atoms in complexes that involve one o r two As atoms observed as a function of As concentration in Si after annealing at 900 K for 10 min. Reprinted from Wichert ef al. (1986) with permission from the authors.
migration of the As atoms to the In atoms as the primary mechanism along with a statistical distribution of the As atoms among the In atoms, the site population in Fig. 23 would be highly unlikely. Therefore, it is concluded that the formation of the two complexes was caused by the migration of the In atoms to single As atoms and As, clusters. For the configuration of the In-As, cluster proposed in model (a2) in Fig. 17, the In atom has two As atoms as nearest neighbors, which at the same time are next nearest neighbors to each other. The association of two As atoms as next nearest neighbors is in agreement with EXAFS data by Erbil et al. (1985), which show that As complexes exist with a next nearest neighbor bond length in Si that was doped with 10,' As cmP3 (but without In). A similar configuration, in which the In atom is replaced by a Si vacancy, was proposed by Fair and Weber (1973) to explain diffusion data in heavily As-doped Si. That the formation of the In-As2 clusters is proportional to the concentration of As, clusters is also illustrated by the annealing sequence shown in Fig. 18. The Si crystal used for these experiments contained 2.2 x 1 0 2 0 A ~ c m -and 3 was annealed at 900K for lOmin, then at 1170K for lOmin, and finally at 900K again for 120min. This final heat treatment reproduced almost exactly the same PAC data as obtained with the initial 900K spectrum. The heat treatment at 1170K, however, caused a strong
342
THOMAS WICHERT
reduction of the electric field gradient component In-As2, indicating thermal dissociation of the As, clusters. Finally, it should be noted that the clustering of dopant atoms (i.e., the aggregation of more than two atoms) has been identified by PAC in the elemental semiconductor Si (see also Figs. 25 and 26) as well as Ge (Forkel rt al., 1992; Baurichter, 1992) using different dopants and (parent) probe atoms; more examples will be given in Section 111.4. Contrary to these results in Si and Ge, clusters of dopant atoms have not been observed in the 11-VI semiconductors for comparable dopant concentrations (Ostheimer et a/., 1996).
4. EFFECTOF CHEMICAL TRANSMUTATION As can be seen in Table I, the formation of the probe atom-defect complex usually takes place at a (parent) probe that is chemically different from the (daughter) probe used for detecting the electric field gradient. Therefore, the influence of the chemical transmutation process caused by the nuclear P-decay on the observed electric field gradient has to be considered in order to ensure the correct identification of the probe atom-defect complexes. (The possible influence of the recoil arising from the 8-decay on the defects that are actually formed will be discussed in Section V.2.) For the case of the probe "'In/"'Cd, Fig. 24 illustrates the different processes occurring in the electronic shell of the probe atom between the P-decay of the (parent) probe '"In and the start of the PAC experiment, which is defined by the emission of y1 by the (daughter) nucleus *"Cd. In this example, the electron-capture (EC)-decay, which happens via the capture of a K shell electron by the nucleus of the isotope "'In, transforms the '"In nucleus into an excited "'Cd nucleus. Within lO-I4s, the
In
Cd
Cd "
Cd m+
t=O,
10-14
t=?,
EC
R,A
fe-
nucleus
atom
bulk
FIG. 24. Different processes that take place at the probe "'ln/"'Cd during the chemical transmutation process. The /I-decay of the (parent) probe "'In occurs via the capture of an electron of the K shell by the nucleus (EC) and gives rise to X-ray (R) and Auger (A) transitions in the electronic shell of the (daughter) probe "Cd. These processes lead to the intermediate ionization rn' and the final ionization state n, which is in equilibrium with the surrounding bulk. Reprinted from Skudlik et a/. (1992a) with permission from the authors.
'
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
343
electronic hole in the K shell is restored via X-ray (R) and Auger (A) transitions, first yielding an ionized Cdm+ atom with several electronic defects in its outer shell. The time needed for reaching the final state Cd", which is in equilibrium with the surrounding crystal, depends on the local electron density and, therefore, will decrease- going from ionic materials via semiconductors to metals. Thus in metals, no indications of this so-called decay rlfter&ect have been reported, i.e., the time for reaching the equilibrium state in metals has to be short compared to the time resolution of a PAC experiment, which is on the order of 0.5 to 1.0ns. In contrast to the situation in metals, when the time for reaching the final state is comparable with the time window determined by the (daughter) probe, that is, in the range 0.5 ns to 3 2 , the electronic rearrangement will beome visible to PAC. For every rearrangement of the electronic configuration at the (daughter) probe causes a corresponding change of the electric field gradient, which is described by a dynamic perturbation function such as the one in Eq. (22). In a semiconductor, the final state will depend on the type of probe atom-defect complex and its population will depend on the energetic position of the ionization levels with respect to the valence and conduction bands as well as on the position of the Fermi level. By the decay aftereffect (caused by the chemical transmutation process), the geometrical configuration including the electronic configuration or exclusively the electronic configuration of the originally formed (parent) probe atom-defect complex can be modified. This will be presented in material to be discussed here. It has turned out that the chemical properties of the (parent) probe determine the formation of complexes with different defects via the probe atom's migration and binding energy to these respective defects. Inherently connected with the chemical properties of the probe is the lattice site it occupies, which determines the electrical properties as a dopant. Therefore, the resulting electronic charge state of the (parent) probe determines the properties of the complex formed. The electronic structure of the (daughter) probe, including the final charge state, as well as the position of the (daughter) probe atom in the complex, which is, in part, inherited from the (parent) probe, both determine the actual electric field gradient tensor that is observed by PAC. In addition, the position of the Fermi level via the population of the appropriate charge state of the (daughter) probe and of the formed complex, also determines the electric field gradient.
a.
Geometrical Configurations Using the probe lllIn/L"Cd in P-doped Si side by side with the probe lmCd/L1lCd,the role of the (parent) and (daughter) probe with respect to
344
THOMAS WICHERT
LL2
1
0
0
200
LOO
600
800
1 00
w (MradI s )
FIG. 25. Fourier transforms of PAC spectra observed at the (daughter) probe '"Cd in P-doped Si. Dcpending on the (parent) probe used, "'In (top) o r '""'Cd (bottom), two or three dilferent probe atom-defect complcxcs are formed, respectively. Reprinted from Wichert et al. (1992) with permission from the authors.
the configuration that is observed by PAC will be discussed. The first issue is whether the resulting "Cd-P complexes, formed with the (parent) probe "'In and observed after its transmutation to 'llCd, already assume the thermal equilibrium configurations. In this case, the same electric field gradients have to be observed as for the "'Cd-P complexes, formed with the (parent) probe I1lrnCd,because the identical isomeric state is used by both (daughter) probe atoms '"Cd (see Fig. 10). Alternatively, if a "'Cd-P complex resulting from the transmutation of a "'In-P compex did not assume the thermal equilibrium configuration at the time of its detection, a different electric field gradient would have to be observed. Figure 25 shows the result of a PAC experiment performed for the P-doped Si crystal. The upper section shows results with the (parent) probe "'In . The In-P, complex, already discussed in Figs. 15 and 16, is visible and because of the much higher P concentration the formation of the larger In-P, complex, similar to the In-As, complex in Fig. 18, is also observed. The lower panel shows results for Si:P that was doped with the double acceptor ''lmCd,
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIESOF DEFECTS
345
serving now as the (parent) probe (Wichert et al., 1992). The Fourier transform F ( w ) in Fig.25 shows the formation of three different Cd-P complexes. A comparison with the result for the "'In doped Si:P sample reveals the identity of the two field gradients belonging to the white and black lines in both sections. This means that the electric field gradients with vQ = 179 MHz, y = 0 and with vQ = 195 MHz, y = 0.65 characterize the identical "'Cd-P, and "'Cd-P, complexes, respectively; it should be noted that in these cases the complete electric field gradient tensors described by strength (vQ), symmetry (tl), and orientation (not shown) are identical. The identity demonstrates that the Cd-P complexes "'Cd-P, and "lCd-P,, formed via the (parent) probe l 1 'In, represent thermal equilibrium configurations and that the originally different complexes "In-P, and I1'"'Cd-P1, shown by (al) and (bl) in Fig. 17, and the complexes "'In-P, and lllmCd-P,, shown by (a2) and (b2), lead to identical final states that are governed by the Cd acceptor. The second issue addresses the probability of formation of different probe atom-defect complexes. For the case of the (parent) probe """Cd, a third complex, Cd-P,, is observed in Fig.25, which is characterized by a field gradient with va = 165 MHz, y = 0, remarkably close to the field gradient of the "'Cd-P, complex. On the basis of similar experiments in Ge, the formation of a Cd-P, complex was proposed by Forkel et al. (1992) because both configurations, Cd-P and Cd-P,, would have the identical electric field gradients in a point charge model ((bl) and (b3) in Fig. 17). This complex is not formed with the single acceptor "'In. Thus, besides the fact that the electric field gradient characterizes the configuration that is determined by the (daughter) probe "'Cd, comparison of the two (parent) probes "'In and l''lnCd also reveals that the formation probability of the different complexes is determined by the (parent) probes, being a single and double acceptor in Si, respectively, in this example. This latter fact is further supported by the data of Fig. 26, which show the populations of the different complexes for the double acceptor Cd as a function of P concentration. In contrast to the behavior observed for the single acceptor In in As-doped Si (see Fig.23), at the lowest P concentrations the larger complex, Cd-P,, is already the dominant one. Thus, the neutral complexes In--P+ and Cd2-P i are the most probable ones to be formed with the respective (parent) probe. Further, the data reveal that the formation of the "'"Cd-P, complex is more probable than the formation of the I1lmCd-P pair, the latter showing the lowest formation probability in contrast to the case of "'In. It should be noted, however, that the relative populations of the different complexes also depend on the thermal annealing conditions, that is, on the respective binding energies of these complexes, as was shown by Forkel et al. (1992) in Ge.
'
346
THOMAS WICHEKT
I Si:P
P concentration ( ~ r n - ~ l FIG. 26. Fractions of '""'Cd atoms, which are involvcd in the formation of different Cd-P complcxcs, observed as a function of the P concentration in Si after rapid-thermal-anncaling at 900 K for 20s. Reprinted from Wichert et al. (1992) with permission from the authors.
With regard to the doping behavior of Si and Ge, it can be stated that the occurrence of identical electric field gradients points to the substitutional incorporation of the double acceptor Cd in the elemental semiconductors, similar to the single acceptor In. It should be noted that investigations, such as those already discussed here, were reported by Burchard (1996) for probe atom-hydrogen complexes in Ge. For Mossbauer source experiments, Williamson et ul. (1992) discussed effects that are caused by the nuclear transmutation process and site selections caused by the (parent) probe atom.
h.
Electronic Configurations
In the following, thosc dynamic electronic effects for the "Cd-P pair in Si will be discussed which are initiated by the chemical transmutation of the (parent) probe '"In and are controlled by the position of the Fermi level. In this context, the pair formation of '''In with different group V donor atoms in Si was studied by Achtziger et al. (1989) in order to investigate the temperature dependence of the characteristic electric field gradient at the (daughter) probe 'llCd. For the donor concentration N , = 8 x 1017 Pcm-3, Fig. 27 shows the PAC spectra along with their Fourier transforms, which were measured at different sample temperatures. The frequency triplet, denoted by ll), corresponds to vg = 179 MHz, y = 0 and, therefore, is recognized as the In-P pair in Si. The T-dependence of the electric field
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
347
-005 - 0 10 -008
-008
0 06
-008
-008 0 0
100
200
300 400 t ins)
0
ZOO
400 600 w (Mrodisl
FIG. 27. PAC spectra (a) of "In/"'Cd probe atoms in P-doped Si ( N , = 8 x 10" ~ m - ~ ) measured at different temperatures. The cosine part of their Fourier transforms (b) shows the population of the two electronic states 11) and (2) described in Fig. 29. (The arrows are explained In the text.) Reprinted from Achtziger and Witthuhn (1993) with permission from the authors.
gradient, observed at the "'Cd-P pair, is displayed in F i g 2 8 (upper portion) using the frequency = (3n/10)vQ [see Eq. (14) for 4 = 0, g(y) = I]. The plot shows a weak T-dependence of w,below 600K, which The position above 600 K is followed by a strong, step-like decrease of ol. of the step-like transition is shifted towards higher T with increasing concentration of donors N , . Above 1000 K, the T-dependence becomes weaker. In addition, Achtziger and Witthuhn (1993) observed a second electric field gradient at room temperature, which is denoted by 12) in the Fourier transform of Fig. 27, and is characterized by vc! = 36 MHz, y = 0. It is visible for N , larger than 1018cm-3 and was also ascribed to the formation of an "'In-P pair but with the "'Cd-P complex in a different charge state. The frequency triplet of this smaller electric field gradient is also visible in Fig. 16 but was not assigned to a particular probe atom-defect complex in P-doped Si by Wichert and Swanson (1989) at that time. However, the data in this figure clearly show that the orientation of this second axially symmetric electric field gradient is also along a (1 11) lattice direction, as was the case with the orientation of the first one. Thus, both electric field gradient tensors characterizing the Cd-P complex differ only by their
348
THOMAS WICHEKT
strengths K,.It should be noted that for the Cd-P complexes formed via the (parent) probe '' '"'Cd, this second electric field gradient is not observed, which also supports its relation to a direct population via the '"In decay. To explain the occurrence of two different electric field gradients for the Cd-P pair and the strong T-dependence of the electric field gradient in Fig. 28, Achtziger and Witthuhn (1993) proposed that the Cd-P pair has an electrically active energy level close to the center of the bandgap, as is sketched in Fig. 29. The experimentally observed strong frequency shift and the pronounced relaxation of the amplitudes of the PAC spectra in Fig. 27, which occur in the same temperature interval between 600K and 1OOOK [see also (Fig. 28)], are both explained by dynamic changes in the electronic configuration of the 'Cd-P complex. These electronic changes are caused by relaxation processes that are initiated by the EC decay of "'In to "'Cd (see Fig. 24) and by the occurrence of equilibrium fluctuations between the two charge states 11) and 12) associated with (Cd-P)- and (Cd-P)', respectively. They are driven by the dopant concentration and temperature
500
1000
T iK) FIci. 28. Temperature dependence of the frcquency (I), of state 11) from Fig. 27 (top) along with the equilibrium probability p, for the occupation of the corresponding (Cd-P)- state. The data are shown for different dopant concentrations N, and the solid lines are fits of the Fenni function [Eq. (301 to the p,(T) data (bottom). Reprinted from Achtziger and Witthuhn (1993) with permission from the authors.
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
ET= Ev+ 0.50 eV
Id> 12>
349
(Cd- P)O’-
FIG. 29. The two electronic states 11) and 12) of the (Cd-P)”- level in the bandgap of Si.
of the sample. Denoting by ni(t) the population of the state li) and by yi its depopulation rate, the probabilities of the two states can be described by first-order rate equations
+
with y = y 1 y 2 . This two-state system has the equilibrium probability p1 = y 2 / y for being in the state Il} and shows an exponential relaxation to this value with the time constant l/y. Because of the preceding EC decay, the parameter p l o = nl(l = 0) is introduced, which describes the nonequilibrium population of n1 at the time of the emission of the first y-quantum. In order to observe a dynamic effect in the time window of the PAC experiment, the transition rate y between the two different charge states of the Cd-P complex has to be comparable with the change of the spin precession frequencies A = mb’’ - cob2’, which is induced by the transitions between states 11) and 12); here, cog) characterizes the electric field gradient of the state li). This condition was visualized in Fig. 8 where dynamic effects are present if To = ?/A 2 1. In this model, the PAC spectrum in Fig. 27, measured at 287 K, corresponds to the static case, that is, To << 1. The spectrum can be described by the sum of two static perturbation functions as in Eqs. (21) and (22), which are related to the states li) by fractions ,fi = p i with the fundamental frequency cul = (ub’) or (oh’’ (note q = 0) and by the relaxation %i = y(1 - pi),giving G(t) =
2
3
i= I
n=O
1 piexp( -iVit)1 ancos(n(o$)t)
(27)
The PAC spectrum measured at 1023 K belongs to the motional-narrowing
350
THOMAS WICHERT
limit, that is, To >> 1, and can be described by a single, averaged frequency
The corresponding perturbation function is of a type of Eq. (20) but with a slightly modified exponential decay function and the relaxation rate /? = (A2/y)PlP2 3
G(t) =
1 uncos(no,t) exp( - n 2 k )
(29)
n=O
The PAC spectra for the entire temperature range between 287- 1023 K are consistently fitted by a single perturbation function (Achtziger and Witthuhn, 1993), which is based on the general theory by Winkler and Gerdau (1973) and takes into account the two-state model already discussed here. With three free parameters, for example, pI, plo, and y, the relaxation effects and strong phase shifts indicated by arrows in Fig. 27 are excellently reproduced. Accounting for the phase shift is of particular importance for the determination of the fraction of "'In-P pairs, because the phase shift gives an apparent decrease in the fraction of pairs actually formed. The extracted equilibrium probabilities p , of the (Cd-P)- complex are plotted in Fig. 28 (lower portion) as a function of temperature for three different donor concentrations. They are described by the Fermi function
Because the Fermi energy E, can be calculated from the known parameters T and N , , a fit to the p,(T) data in Fig.28 gives the trap energy of the (Cd-P)O'- complex E , = E , + 0.50eV [with g = 1 in Eq. ( 30)]. The PAC experiments performed below 600 K yield a ionization probability at zero time, plo = 0.4, which is independent of 7: The significant deviation from the equilibrium value p1 = 1 indicates a partial population of the nonequilibrium, neutral state (Cd-P)', which is a consequence of the EC decay of "'In. Finally, the temperature dependence of the transition rate y between the two different charge states was discussed in terms of ShockleyRead-Hall statistics and information about the energy level and capture cross sections of the (Cd-P)"'- complex was deduced. The dynamic electronic effects, presented for "'Cd-P, were also observed for "'Cd-As and "'Cd-Sb in Si (Achtziger and Witthuhn, 1993) and will also be invoked in order to explain the different electric field gradients that characterize the formation of 'In/"'Cd-hydrogen complexes in Si (see Section IV.l).
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
351
In summary, the following conditions should be fulfilled for the observation of dynamic electronic effects via a time dependent hyperfine interaction: (i) A nonstatic charge state, which arises from nonequilibrium conditions or partial occupancy. (ii) A transition rate y comparable to the spin precession frequency w 1 caused by the electric field gradient that characterizes the charge state involved; that is, To = 1 or y in the range 106-10’o s-’. (iii) The change of the charge state has to alter the charge distribution close to the probe atom, so that the different charge states are distinguished by different electric field gradients; therefore, defects with a “deep level” should be the candidates suited for such an investigation. From the dynamic electronic effects observed, information about the charge state of a (daughter) probe atom-defect complex and level position in the bandgap can be obtained. In addition, the ionization probability and transition rate between the different charge states can be extracted.
IV. Light Elements and Transition Metals
The presence of interstitial impurities, such as hydrogen or transition metals, often alters the electrical properties of semiconductors in an undesirable way (Pankove and Johnson, 1991; Pearton et al., 1992; Graff, 1994). On one hand, these impurities are very fast diffusers so that samples are easily contaminated at ambient temperatures; on the other hand, their solubilities are comparably low so that, in contrast to substitutional dopants, the study of their behavior with the help of systematic doping experiments is severely hampered. When the electric field gradient of an unknown species is observed in a PAC experiment under nonunique conditions, for example, following plasma etching or wafer polishing, the electric field gradient cannot be used for a direct identification because, as was already discussed in Section 111.1, theory is just on the brink of being able to calculate the electric field gradient produced by a defect at a site of a (daughter) probe atom in a semiconductor. However, the electric field gradient is extremely useful for recognizing the occurrence of the same species under better-defined doping conditions. Here, the method of implanting elements of interest with low energies in the range of only a few hundred electronvolts has been proven to be a successful and element-specific doping technique because implantation-related radi-
352
THOMAS WICHER~
ation damage is avoided to a large extent in this way. If the electric field gradient observed after implantation matches that observed in other situations, then the implanted element is a good candidate for the unknown species. It is obvious that intrinsic lattice defects cannot be identified by this method. In Si, the fast diffusing impurities H and Cu are known to passivate the electrical conductivity produced by acceptor atoms via the formation of donor-acceptor pairs. It has been found that this passivation phenomenon, which is accompanied by the formation of close pairs, is easily studied by PAC. Among the interstitial impurities investigated by PAC, there is also Li, which is a well-known compensating dopant in Si used, for example, for the preparation of Si(Li) detectors. The behavior of this element was studied by PAC in order to calibrate the observations of donor-acceptor pairs formed with other, less-well understood interstitial impurities. In Si, Li atoms are located at tetrahedral interstitial sites as Li' and form pairs with acceptor atoms like B. The electric field gradients, listed in Table IV and Table V for "'Cd-impurity complexes that were originally formed with the (parent) probe "'In, show that for Li, H, and Cu impurities in Si there are three electric field gradients instead of one, all with axial symmetry about (1 11) directions for each of the "'Cd-impurity complexes. Possible interstitial lattice sites that would give rise to electric field gradients of this symmetry and orientation at the site of a substitutional probe atom are shown in Fig. 30. In the following, particular emphasis will be put on the study of H and the transition metal Cu in Si.
1. HYDROGEN IN ELEMENTAL SEMICONDUCTORS u.
Silicon
Until 1983, when the passivating effect of H atoms in p-type Si was discovered, little was known about the influence of H on the electronic properties of Si, aside from the strong affinity of H to intrinsic defects, in particular to the dangling bonds at vacancies. This first observation of the passivation of acceptors in Si was followed by a steadily increasing number of publications that are summarized elsewhere (Pankove and Johnson, 1991; Pearton rt uI., 1992). Among other techniques, radioactive probe atoms in combination with PAC were able to show that close In-H pairs are formed if Si crystals are subjected to different procedures, such as etching with a hydrogen-containing plasma (1 5 min, 13.56 MHz, 320 V, 0.6 mbar), boiling Si crystals in water (353 K, 100 min) or implanting H with low energy (200eV, 10'4cm-2) H f ions (Wichert et ul., 1987). For these experiments,
353
6 PEKTUKBED ANGULAKCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS TABLE IV ACCEPTOR-HYDROGEN PAIRSFORMEV WITH
THE
ACCEPTORS'"In/' "Cd
OR
l'lmCd/ll'Cd
wica89
Silicon" In-HI ln-H2 1ii-H3
3601349 4801463 270
781295 781295 78
0
0 0
1.3 1.3 1.3
Germanium In-H
436/413
781295
0
1.1
GaNh Cd-H Cd-H
362 572
295 295
0 0
1.8 1.1
GaP Cd-H
525
295
0
11lP Cd-H
484'
295
0
AlAs Cd-H
451
295
0
GaAa Cd-H 1 Cd-H2
451 480*
295 295
0
0
InAs Cd-H 1 Cd-H2 Cd-H3
427 517 555
295 295 295
0 0.09 0.19
In-Sb Cd-H
357
295
0
deia89 bura97b
baua9l
1.8
baua89; deich92 bura95 baua89; pfea91
1.35 1.35
I .4
baua91; bura97c
1.0
1.0 baua91
"In the text, the coupling constants v y of In-H1, h H 3 , and ln-H2 are respectively. Wurtzite lattice. 'Value averaged from 484(1) and 485(3) MHz. dValue averaged from 481(2) and 479(3) MHz. 'References: deia89 baua89 Baurichter et rtl. (1989). baud91 Bauirichter et ul. (1991). deich92 bura95 Burchard et id. (1995). pfca91 bura97b Burchard et d.(1997b). wica89 bura97c Burchard ef ul. (1997~).
also denoted by
I ' ~ ~ , vplrO, - ,
and
>lQ2,
Deicher ef a/. (1989). Deicher (1992). Pfeiffer et a/. (1991). Wichert et a/. (1989).
shown in Fig. 31, " 'In probes were preimplanted with 350 keV energy at room temperature into p-type Si (10' B cm-3), resulting in an implantation depth of (1640 470) A and a peak concentration of 5 x 1016'"Incm-3. Subsequently, the Si crystals were annealed at 1173 K under flowing N, gas. The PAC spectra show that all three hydrogen-introduction procedures lead
354
THOMAS WICHERT TABLE V
PAIRING B E T W ~ THL: ~ N ACCEPTORS "'ln/"'Cd Complex
OR
ll'mCd/l''Cd
(ijk)
vu (MHz)
AND
INTERSTITIALATOMS
ED(eV)
Refercnces"
Silicon In-IiI In-Li2 In-Li3
I72 260 323
78 78 78
0 0 0
In-Na 1 In-Na2 In-Na3
170 249 274
78 78 78
0 0 0
deich92
In-Cul In-Cu2 In-Cu3
237 334 408
78 78 78
0 0 0
kcla90a
In-Fel In-Fe2 In-Fe3
378 432 473
295 295 295
0 0.32 0
In-Crl InCr2
370 473
30 295
0 0
Germanium In-Li
163
78
0
90
295
0.85
86
295
0.86
wica89; deia89
TnP Cd-Li
reiw90 deia89; deich92 deich92 deich92
GaAs
Cd-1.i "References deiaX9
Dcicher CI
dcich92 kelaY0a
Deicher (lY92). Keller ~t ul. (1990a).
a/. (19x9).
rciw90 wica8Y
Reislohner and Witthuhn (1990) Wichcrt et a/. (1989).
to identical frequency triplets, denoted by In-H1 and ln-H2, and, therefore, to the formation of the identical In-defect complexes. The corresponding electric field gradients are axially symmetric ( q = 0) with vQ = 349 MHz and 463 MHz at 295 K. Taking into account the results of the three procedures, it has been concluded that the trapping of H atoms, rather than of lattice defects, has to be responsible for the observed electric field gradients. While the treatment of the Si crystal with the H-plasma might introduce lattice defects, the second treatment, boiling in water, excludes this possibility. An additional confirmation that the observed electric field gradients characterize In-H pairs is obtained from low energy (200eV), almost defect-free H' implantation. The axial symmetry of the electric field gradients about a crystallographic (1 1 1 ) axis is demonstrated in Fig. 32 (left-hand side) by the suppression of
6
PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIESOF DEFECTS
355
Si
FIG.30. Interstitial sites in the neighborhood of a substitutional probe atom in a diamond lattice: Bond center (BC), antibonding (AB), and tetrahedral (T) sites. Reprinted from Skudlik et a / . (1992a) with permission from the authors.
-
1 H-Plasma 0
0
~
(a)
1
0.00 -0 10
-0 10
u:
i
O.OO o
50
iao
t (nsl
150
200
0
500
1000
1500
frequency (Mrad/s)
FIG. 31. Formation of In-H pairs in Si doped with the (parent) probe '"In following different treatments. Visible are two hydrogen-induced frequency triplets (In-H1 and In-H2, see Table IV) that are identical in all three PAC spectra. Reprinted from Deicher et a / . (1991) with permission from the authors.
356
THOMAS WICHERT 8 4
6
-i z
4
v
2
aJ
U
tt
5
0
0
s4
6
.-b
L
4
3
2
1.610" B cm"
2
2 0
0
500
1000
frequency (Mrad/s)
1500
0
0
500
1000
l!
frequency (Mradls)
FK;. 32. Fouricr transforms of PAC timc spectra of l 1 'Tn-doped Si. The ( 1 11) orientation of the three In-H pairs is shown by the typical dependence of the Fourier amplitudes on the direction of the :-detectors (compare Fig. 7), which were oriented along (100) and (1 11) crystallographic directions (top and bottom panel. respectivcly). Reprinted from Deicher et d. (1991) with permission from the authors.
w 2 and m3 if the ;,-detectors are oriented along (1 11) directions of the Si
crystal. Figure 32 (right-hand side) also shows the (111) symmetry of a third electric field gradient characterizing In-H complexes (In-H3); it is observed if the Fermi level is moved toward the top of the valence band of Si, either by p-type doping or by lowering the temperature, as will be discussed in the following. From the amplitude of the modulation in the PAC spectra, (see Fig. 31), the fraction of In-H pairs corresponding to the fraction of passivated In acceptors is obtained directly in a quantitative way. Thus, by measuring the fraction of In-H pairs in an isochronal annealing experiment, the thermal stability of these pairs is obtained. Figure 33 compares the results of such measurements for different sample conditions (Skudlik et u!., 1992b). Obviously, the data in Figs. 33(a) and (d) exhibit thermal stabilities for the In-H pairs that differ by as much as 100K. In (a) the H atoms were introduced by 200eV implantation or by boiling in water, and the dominant traps are the implanted 'In probes with a peak concentration of about 5 x 10" ~ m - Because ~ . of the low concentration of traps the release of the H atoms from the volume probed by the '"In atoms is not delayed by retrapping processes and, correspondingly, the probability of retrapping of H by In atoms after dissociation can be neglected so that the lowest thermal stability of all experiments is observed. Denoting by fb and , f(TA)the fractions of In-H pairs after loading and after annealing at TA = 420 K (for
''
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS 4o
357
(a)
intrinsic Si
2:F intrinsic Si
30
plasma
10
0 300
400
500
600
annealing temperature (Kl
FIG. 33. Fractions of I"1n aroms in In-H pairs measured by PAC during an isochronal (600s) annealing program. Reprinted from Skudlik er a/. (1992b) with permission from the authors.
t,
= 600 s),
the relation
yields the dissociation energy E,(in-H) = 1.3eV from the data in Fig. 33(a). For this analysis a single-step dissociation process with the attempt fres-' is assumed. Under the same assumptions most of quency of v o = the dissociation energies listed in Table IV were deduced. In contrast, in Fig. 33(d) the significantly higher thermal stability of the identical acceptorhydrogen complex is caused by the different charging procedure, which was the H-containing plasma in this case. By this procedure, intrinsic defects, which seem to be introduced in addition to H, also act as traps for the H atoms. The introduction of these defects was avoided by the more gentle doping procedures used in Fig. 33(a). Thus, the higher concentration of
358
THOMAS WICHERT
hydrogen-containing traps gives rise to an additional source of hydrogen in the region of the sample that is doped with the '"In probe atoms. As a consequence, the (apparent) thermal stability of the In-H pairs is increased. In Fig. 33(b), the Si sample contained 1.6 x l0l7 B cm-3 in addition to the "'In acceptor atoms, which also trap H atoms. Similar to (d), this higher trap concentration retards the release of H from the probed volume. In addition, around 380 K a strong increase in the fraction of In-H is observed. It is caused by the dissociation of B-H pairs, which feeds the fraction of In-H pairs via the release of H followed by trapping at still isolated In atoms. Qualitatively similar results were obtained for the Ga-doped Si sample in Fig. 33(c). The main quantitative difference is the increase in the fraction of In-H pairs to occur at the slightly higher temperature of 400K, which is caused by the higher thermal stability of the Ga-H pairs compared to B-H pairs. From this type of co-doping experiment Skudlik et al. (1992b) obtained the following set of dissociation energies by PAC: E,(BH) = 1.1eV < E,(Ga-H) < E,(In-H) = 1.3 eV. From the results in Fig. 33, it is evident that the experimentally determined dissociation energies, which are reported for the passivation of acceptors in Si, critically depend on the doping procedure used for the introduction of H and the respective acceptor concentration. Higher apparent thermal stabilities can be explained if the doping procedure, hydrogen introduced from the H-containing plasma, and the acceptor concentrations of more than lo'' cm-3 are taken into account. A quantitative correlation between the number of In-H complexes formed and the number of electrically deactivated In acceptors was established by performing the PAC experiment in parallel with four-point resistivity measurements (Skudlik et al., 1992b). In order to obtain a detectable conductivity, stable "'In with a dose of l O I 3 cm-2 was co-implanted with the "'In probe atoms (5 x 1011cm-2).The observed change of the conductance, measured after H + implantation at 400 K and during isochronal annealing, is plotted as the sheet concentration of deactivated In acceptors in Fig. 34 (open circles). Simultaneously, the formation of In-H complexes determined by PAC is shown (solid squares). Taking into account that the 100% fraction corresponds to 10131ncm-2, the absolute values of both measurements can be compared. The good agreement between the absolute values of In atoms during the whole annealing sequence shows that every formed or dissociated In-H complex corresponds to a deactivated or activated In acceptor, respectively. Therefore, the data in Fig. 34 confirm that the term "H passivation" is justified. With the help of the known hyperfine parameters of the In-H pairs, PAC is able to explore possible contamination pathways for the introduction of H into Si (Keller et al., 1990b). Three examples are shown in Fig. 35. In the first example, a Pd layer was evaporated on top of a Si02/Si substrate for
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
-
SLln lOl3 cm-2, 5 ~ 1 0 H+ ' ~ cm-2
y
I
10
E
0
8 -.
c
6-
.-0
'
I
.
'
'
I
"
.
I
~
'
100
20 90not activated
9 9
-
"
359
d
2
z
4-
Q)
0 C
2&
Q)
al
0 - t . ' .
.c
300
UJ
400
500
600
annealing temperature (K1 FIG. 34. Comparison of the fraction of In-H pairs (PAC, squares) and the sheet concentrations of deactivated In acceptors (four-point resistivity, circles) as a function of annealing temperature (left scale). Here, 100% refers to 1013In c m - z (right scale). Reprinted from Skudlik et ul. (1992b) with permission from the authors.
1
(a)
-0.10
o.oot
MOS production
o.oot
I
I
I
Cu implantation I
I
,
50
100
150
1
-
1
-
In-H
300 K
1
-0.10
0.00
0
t (ns)
200
500
1000
1
freotiencv IMrnd/sl
FIG. 35. Three contamination pathways for the introduction of H atoms into Si, that are identified by the formation of In-H pairs. Reprinted from Wichert (1994) with permission from the author.
360
THOMAS WICHERT
the preparation of a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) contact. The data indicate that H was released, possibly from the SiO, layer, and diffused into the " 'In-doped Si crystal because the electric field gradient that belongs to In-H pairs is observed. The next example shows that low-energy (200eV, 1014cm-2) Cu' implantation produced In-H pairs in addition to In-Cu pairs, the latter will be discussed in Section IV.3. Possible sources of the H contamination in this experiment are water or hydrocarbon compounds, adsorbed on the Si surface. (Note that the position of the Fermi level slightly decreased the value of electric field gradient. This will also be discussed.) The last example in Fig. 35 shows the formation of In-H pairs in a Si wafer that was doped with l 1 'In in the first few 100 by a 60 keV implantation. The exposure of this wafer to humid air at 30°C for a few hours already led to the passivation of about 50% of the In atoms by H. The fact that three different electric field gradients are observed for the "'Cd-H pair that is formed via the transmutation of the "'In-H pair proves that three different electronic or structural Cd-H configurations exist
-0.1
0.0 -0.1
-
?f
00
-0.1
0.0
0
50
100
time (ns)
150
200 0
250
500
750
1C
frequency (Mradls)
FIG. 36. For R-doped Si, the PAC data measured at the probe "'In/"'Cd show the continuous transition from the (Cd-H)' to the (Cd-H)- state, characterized by vQlio and vy,/-. respectively, with rising sample temperature. Reprinted from Skudlik et nl. (19921) with permission from the authors.
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
361
active B concentration ( ~ m - ~ ) and vQli0, which FIG. 37. For Si a t 300 K, the transition between the frequencies characterize the two (Cd-H)”- states (see insert), is shown with increasing B concentration. 1 1 ~ ~ ; -
in Si (Skudlik et a!., 1992a). The T-dependence of the PAC spectra, measured on Si doped with 5.5 x lo” B cm-3 (Fig. 36), and the dependence of the coupling constant vQl on the B concentration (Fig. 37) reveal that the electric field gradients, denoted by In-H1 and In-H3 in Table IV, actually characterize one Cd-H pair in two different charge states, as is depicted in the inset of Fig. 37. At 80 K, the PAC spectrum in Fig. 36 shows the distinct occurrence of the electric field gradient of In-H3, characterized by vQlio = 270 MHz (at 78 K). With increasing sample temperature, the coupling constant v is shifted towards that of the electric field gradient of 91. In-HI, characterized by vQl,- = 349 MHz (at 295 K). The intermediate temperature region around 200 K is governed by a strong static relaxation of the PAC signals, which preferentially broadens the high frequencies as described by Eq. (20) . The static relaxation is explained by a distribution of electric field gradients o,which is associated with electronic inhomogeneities in the surface layer of the “‘In implanted sample. Like the sample temperature, the acceptor concentration also influences the coupling constant vQl (Fig. 37) and yields a shift of the value of the coupling constant between vQl,- and vQl,olPy varying the concentration of B acceptors in the sample between 2 x 10 and 2 x 1019cm-3. An overview of the coupling constants v,, measured as a function of temperature T, and concentration of electrically active B atoms cB is given in Fig. 38 . The lower surface shows a continuous transition from vplI0 to v e t , - for increasing temperature and decreasing B concentration.
362
THOMAS WICHERT
500
-I L50 N
r LOO 9
350
300 1013 1015 1017 1019
active ~ ~ t c r n - ~ )
'
FIG. 38. Dependence of the coupling constant vp in Si, measured at the probe 'In/' ' 'Cd, on the sample temperature T,, and concentration of electrically active B atoms c B . The lower ~ / ~ to~ v y l i - = 349MHz for surface shows the continuous transition from Y ~ = 270MHz increasing temperature and decreasing B concentration. The parameter p is the ionization probability of the (Cd-H)"'. complex [see Eq. (32)]. For the In-dominated samples (ce < 5 x 10"cm '), the upper surface and the left part of the lower surface show a repopulation from v y 2 = 480 MHz to vQ1,- with increasing temperature. The different populations are indicated by the size of the symbol. Reprinted from Skudlik et al. (1992a) with permission from thc authors.
As in the case of Cd-P in Si discussed in Section III.4.b, two charge states of the Cd-H pair are observed, (Cd-H)O and (Cd-H)-. The strengths of the characteristic electric field gradients v Q l i o and vQ1,-, respectively, are different, but the symmetry ( q = 0) and orientation ((111)) are identical as was demonstrated in Fig. 32. The data in Fig. 36 show that either the neutral or the ionized state is observed, which is in contrast to the Cd-P pair that always exhibits a population of the neutral state in addition to the ionized one (pl0 = 0.4). Using the corresponding two-state model, the dependence of the electric field gradient on cB and T is expressed analogously to Eq. ( 2 8 ) by an averaged coupling constant
6 PERTURBED ANGULAR CORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
363
Here, the ionization probability p, which depends on temperature and acceptor concentration as was described in Eq. (30), replaces the parameter p l . The analysis of the experimental data yields the trap energy E , = E , + 0.06eV for the energy level of the (Cd-H)''- pair (Skudlik et ul., 1992a). The pronounced dependence of the electric field gradient on T and cB explains the static relaxation in Fig. 36. As the value of vQl is governed by the concentration of electrically active B and In atoms whose fractions depend on the degree of passivation by H, an inhomogeneous concentration profile of the H atoms leads to different concentrations of electrically active acceptors in the region of the implanted probe atoms and, therefore, to slightly different electric field gradients. The apparent independence of vB1 for cB below 1016-10'7cmP3 in Fig. 38 is caused by the presence of the acceptor "'In, which is needed for the PAC experiment with a concentration of the order of 5 x 1 0 ' ' ~ r n - ~at the implantation energy of 350 keV. As can be seen in Fig. 38, the electric field gradient of the remaining In-H complex in Table IV, In-H,, which is characterized by vB2 = 463 MHz/480 MHz (at 295 K/78 K), occurs in samples with low acceptor concentration and preferentially at low temperatures (Skudlik et al., 1992a). Its population grows at the expense of "1,- as is indicated by the size of the corresponding symbols (closed triangles and circles, respectively). A correlation with the position of the Fermi level is not observed. Rather a dominance of the fraction of vQ2 for low hole concentrations is found, that is, at low acceptor concentration and low temperature. The fraction disappears if the hole concentration increases. Thus, this electric field gradient is assigned to a new configuration (Cd-H)* that is structurally different from the (Cd-H)'/- complex and whose formation is supported by a low hole concentration. It has not been possible to decide whether these two structurally different 'Cd-H configurations, observed by the (daughter) probe "lCd: (i) were already formed at the (parent) probe "'In as two different "'In-H configurations; or whether (ii) they evolved from a single unique configuration of the "'In-H pair after the transmutation process. The only information is that for vB2, which characterizes the second configuration (Cd-H)*, a line broadening in the PAC spectra has not been observed under any of the various experimental conditions. This would be expected for case (ii), which is a possible dynamical rearrangement of the (Cd-H)-'' pair into the(Cd-H)" pair. Therefore, case (i) is concluded to hold: the In-H pair already exists in two different configurations, which predetermine the subsequent formation of either (Cd-H)-'' or (Cd-H)* after transmutation of the "'In probe.
364 b.
THOMAS WICHERT
Germunium
In contrast to Si, the formation of "'In-H complexes in Ge (see Table IV) leads to the occurrence of only one electric field gradient that is characterized by vQ,= 413 MHz at 295 K and axial symmetry about the (111) lattice direction (Deicher et a/., 1989). Because this complex was observed after low energy H + implantation into "'In-doped Ge, its identification seemed to be without doubt, similar to the corresponding complexes in Si. This example, however, illustrates that a particular electric field gradient tensor, described by strength v,, symmetry y, and orientation ( [ j k ) in the host lattice, does not necessarily characterize a single type of probe atom-defect complex, in this case H at the site of 'In. Thus, Feuser ct al. ( 1990) reported the occurrencc of the same electric field gradient tensor at 295 K in Ge after irradiation with highly energetic ions or with electrons. In both experiments, the experimental error was on the order of 1 MHz. Under the assumption that the identical complex was observed in both cases, either intrinsic lattice defects created by the irradiation process, or H already present in or at the surface of the crystal and mobilized by the irradiation process at 295 K (as in the example in Fig. 35 in Si), should give rise to the observed electric field gradient tensor. Because measurements of the temperature dependence of the electric field gradient yielded different results below 295 K, both experiments were repeated on the same sample and the PAC spectra were recorded at 78 K (Deicher et ul., 1991). The results are shown in Fig. 39. In a first step, lOOeV
m m: 3
-0.10
2
--
-0.05
1
0.00
0
Ar' impl. (1 keV)
-O.lO/ -0 05
i
1
0.00
0
0
50
100
t (ns)
150
200 0
500
1000
1500
w (Mrad/sf
FIG. 39. Formation of In-H pairs following H + implantation (top) and, in addition, of the In-defcct coinplcx In-De (In-De2 in Table VII) following A r t implantation into " 'In-doped Ge. The spectra were recorded at 78 K. Reprinted from Deichcr et (I/. (1991) with permission from thc authors.
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
365
H + ions (5 x 10'4cm-2) were implanted at 295 K for H doping. The PAC measurements showed a single, but slightly larger electric field gradient with vQ = 436 MHz than at 295 K because of the lower temperature. In the second step, 1 keVAr' was implanted at 295 K and at the same dose of 5 x 1014cmp2in order to create lattice defects. The PAC data in the lower portion of Fig. 39 clearly show the occurrence of a second electric field gradient with vQ = 420 MHz at 78 K, next to the unchanged fraction of the 436 MHz component. This result unambiguously proved that two different defects are actually involved: H atoms and an intrinsic lattice defect, which is either a vacancy or a self-interstitial atom. This latter defect will be discussed in Section V.2.
2. HYDROGEN IN I1I-v
SEMICONDUCTORS
In both elemental and 11-VI semiconductors, the (parent) probe '"In acts as a shallow acceptor and donor, respectively, which qualifies this isotope as a useful probe in these materials. In 111-V semiconductors, "'In is isoelectronic and, therefore, not suited for defect studies because of the absence of a coulombic interaction with other defects. In this case, the probe "lmCd (see Fig. 10) has turned out to be a very effective probe for the characterization of defects. Because the (parent) probe is very short-lived, however, it requires an ion implanter with a nearby or on-line production facility for the radioactive isotope lllrnCd in order to make feasible systematic investigations in semiconductors. An extremely effective facility is the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE at CERN with an implantation energy of 60 keV (Ravn and Allardyce, 1989). This additional technical requirement explains the delay of PAC experiments in 111-V semiconductors. The first studies on H were performed for l1lrnCdimplanted GaAs using a hydrogen plasma (Baurichter et al., 1989) and low-energy H + implantation (Pfeiffer et al., 1991).
a. Binary Compounds Results for a series of 111-V semiconductors that were exposed to a hydrogen plasma were reported by Baurichter et al. (1991). Samples of undoped, liquid encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) grown GaAs, InAs, Gap, InP, and of Cz grown InSb were doped with lllrnCd by 60keV ion implantation, resulting in a maximum concentration of probe atoms of about 10l8cmp3 at a depth of about 250 A.After annealing of the radiation damage, the crystals were charged with hydrogen on a heatable cathode of
366
THOMAS WICHERT
a parallel plate dc glow discharge reactor (500-1000 V, 30 min, 480 K, 5 10 mbar). Because of the short half-life of 49 min of the (parent) probe "Cd, in most cases only a single PAC experiment can be performed after each implantation. As the electric field gradient is measured at the same element, that is, at the (daughter) probe '"Cd, the results are not influenced by a preceding transmutation process such as in the case of the (parent) probe "'In. The Fourier transforms in Fig.40 show that Cd-defect complexes were formed in all materials and that there always exists one well-defined, axially symmetric electric field gradient oriented along ( 1 I 1) lattice directions (see Table IV). For GaAs and InAs, two different electric field gradients are observed, which will be discussed in more detail in what follows. The plasma charging process introduces H as well as intrinsic defects (as already discussed here), so that the interpretation of the electric field gradients is not obvious. The results by Pfeiffer et al. (1991) for GaAs implanted with 400eV H + (10'5cm-2) are shown in Fig.41. They confirm the results obtained after plasma charging in that the identical electric field gradients are observed, two different electric field gradients exist, and their symmetry axes point along ( I 11) lattice directions (A and B). Although H t implantation down to 150eV always produced the same electric field gradients, the possibility of creating fast-diffusing intrinsic defects via replacement collisions that are trapped at the Cd probe cannot be excluded. Therefore, low-energy Ar+ ions (150eV, 10'4cm-2) were implanted into GaAs. The absence of any defect signal in Fig. 41(C) supports the identification of both electric field gradients, characterized by vQ = 457 MHz (Cd-H1) and 481 MHz (Cd-H2), as Cd-H complexes. Because the shallow acceptor Cd- is neutralized by the trapping of a single H f donor, the formation of Cd-H pairs seems to be the most probable interpretation. The occurrence of two different electric field gradients was attributed by Pfeiffer et al. (1991) to two slightly different equilibrium configurations of the Cd-H pair whose formation probabilities depend on the carrier concentration in the sample. This interpretation is supported by the identical thermal stability of both complexes, which was determined in the same investigation. Cd-H pairs were also detected by infrared absorption measurements, which revealed a local vibrational mode that is typical of a H-As bond. The model in Fig. 42, proposed by Pajot (1989), is in agreement with the symmetry and orientation of the electric field gradient tensor as determined by PAC. The originally existing Cd-As bond (left configuration) is interrupted by a H atom that saturates the As bond. As a consequence, the Cd and As atoms relax away from each other along a (111) lattice direction (right configuration). This trigonal center creates an electric field gradient tensor at the site of the Cd probe that is axially symmetric about a (1 1 1) direction.
''
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
l1lrnCdIn InP
0
367
(H-PIaama)
800 1200 1600 FREQUENCY ( Mrad/s ) 400
FIG.40. Formation of ''lmCd-H complexes in diferent 111-V semiconductors that were treated with a hydrogen plasma. Reprintedfrom Baurichter et al. (1992) with permission from the authors.
368
THOMAS WICHERT
50
0
GaAs:"'Td, l o i 5 H+ crV2 E = 400 eV 100 150 0 500 1000
1500
0.05 0.00
-
.5 0.05
U
5 O
o
0
o i i
L
GaAs:lllmCd, I O l 4 Ar+
E = 150 eV
0.10
0.05
0
50
100
t (ns)
150 0
500
1000
1500
o (Mrad/s)
FIG. 41. Formation of two different Cd-H pairs in ""Td-doped GaAs after H' implantation. The spectra are obtained for two different orientations of the y-detectors (panels A and B). Spectrum C is recorded following implantation of lOI4Ar+ cm-'. Reprinted from Deicher and Pfeiffer (1994) with permission from the authors.
Because the identical electric field gradients were also observed in InAs, Gap, and InP to follow low energy (150-400eV)H' implantation as plasma charging and because of the similarity of the measured vQ values, which show up a very systematic trend (see Fig. 45), these complexes were also assigned to Cd-H pairs; they are listed in Table IV as Cd-H or Cd-H1
FIG. 42. Passivation of group 11 acceptors in GaAa by hydrogen as proposed by Pajot (1989). The originally formed Cd-As bond (left) is interrupted by the H atom by forming a H-As bond (right).
6 PERTURBED ANGULAR CORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS "
369
'"'Cd in InAs
0.00 0.04
0.00 -0.04 0.08 0.04
0.00 .0.04
0.08 0.04
0.00 .0.04
0.08 0.04 0.00
-0.04
o (Mrad s") FIG. 43. Implantation conditions for the production of Cd-H1 and Cd-H2 complexes in InAs (unshaded and shaded lines, respectively). Note the pronounced formation of the first harmonic frequency (oz for Cd-HI in spectrum (c) is due to an altered orientation of the ?-detectors. Reprinted from Forkel-Wirth r t ul. (1995) with permission from the authors.
pairs. However, the nature of the second complex, Cd-H2, in InAs still remains to be identified by using the results of additional experiments. In Fig. 43 , the results of more detailed experiments in InAs show that after H implantation two axially symmetric electric field gradients are observed, both of which are hydrogen related (Forkel-Wirth et a/., 1995). The first electric field gradient belongs to the Cd-H1 pair and points along a (111) lattice direction. The value of vQ = 427 MHz fits into the trend +
370
THOMAS WICHERT
already mentioned here for the Cd-H pairs. The electric field gradient of the second complex (Cd-H2) does not point in a (111) direction and its value of vv = 577 MHz does not fit the trend observed for Cd-H pairs. A systematic investigation with different irradiation conditions has led to the identification of this second complex. After 100 eV H + implantation, the data in Fig.43(a) show only the Cd-HI pair. When the H + energy is increased to 1 keV, both complexes, Cd-H1 and Cd-H2, are observed, as is also the case if the first lOOeV H + implantation is directly followed by a 1 keV He' implantation [Fig. 43(b) and (c)]. Finally, Fig. 43(d) shows that the implantation of InAs with only 1 keV He' produces none of these complexes. These results reveal that the formation of Cd-H2 is caused by irradiation effects and, at the same time, requires the presence of H atoms. Additional experiments show that the Cd-H2 complex disappears on a time scale of 150 min at ambient temperatures and gives rise to the formation of the Cd-H1 complex (Forkel-Wirth et al., 1995). Therefore, it has been proposed that the complex Cd-H2, characterized by vp = 577 MHz, consists of a Cd-H pair that, in addition, is decorated by either H atoms or intrinsic defects. In any case, the formation process would have to be caused by irradiation effects and the additional defects are weakly bound to the Cd-H pair at ambient temperatures. Their presence changes vQ from 427 to 577 MHz and explains the deviation of the symmetry axis of the electric field gradient tensor from the (1 1 1 ) lattice direction.
6.
Ternury Compounds
The formation of acceptor-hydrogen complexes has also been successfully investigated in ternary 111-V semiconductors doped with Cd. Burchard et al. (1995) doped the ternaries AlGaAs, InGaAs, and GalnP with hydrogen by implantation with 100 eV H + at 323 K. The PAC data in Fig. 44 (top) show the result after implantation of Ga,,,91n,,, with '"Cd and annealing at 1070 K, prior to the H loading procedure. The Cd acceptors do not reside in an environment with cubic symmetry, as is the case for the binary constituents GaP or InP; this can be seen from the nonzero electric field gradients in the R(t) time spectrum and its Fourier transform. The analysis yields a distribution of electric field gradients centered at ve = 44 MHz with a width AvQ = 17 MHz, which is observed by all ll""Cd probe atoms (note: (T = Au/2n = (3/20). AvQ because of Am = (3n/10). Avo). As is shown in Fig. 45, the average lattice constant increases going from G a P to InP, and assumes a value of 5.65A for the present ternary compound. The bond lengths in the neighborhood of each '"Cd probe, however, depend on the actual distribution of Ga and In atoms about each l1lrnCdatom. Thus, the
''
''
371
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
---I4
<110>
0.10
0.05 0.00 h
v +a
rx
0.10
H+ loaded
b
o
r
4
P C
2
-
2.
0.05
c:
0.00 ~
50
100 150 200 250 0 t (ns)
500 1000 1500 o (Mrad/s)
0
FIG. 44. PAC spectra and their Fourier transforms measured at Gao.491no.5,P after “‘”’Cd implantation and annealing at 1070K (top) and after implantation of 3 x H + cm-’ with l00eV (bottom). Reprinted from Burchard er a/. (1995) with permission from the authors.
““Cd-H Pairs in I l l 4 Semiconductors
-z2
z E
2.4 2.0 I6
12
08
054
056
0.58
U.hO
062
Lattice constant (nm)
FIG. 45. Bandyap energy (top) and quadrupole coupling constant vQ of Cd-H pairs (bottom) plotted vs the lattice constant of the respective ternary semiconductor. Reprinted from Burchard et a/. (1995) with permission from the authors.
372
THOMAS WICHERT
distribution of electric field gradients observed in the PAC data indicates that the compound is in a disordered state because long-range order on the group 111 sublattice would produce a unique (zero) electric field gradient. After H' implantation, the data in Fig.44 (lower portion) show the formation of Cd-H pairs that are characterized by vQ = 502 MHz and a width AvQ = 11 MHz; this width is the cause for the damped modulation in the R(t) spectrum. The corresponding electric field gradient tensor is still oriented along a (1 1 I ) direction but the value of q = 0.1 indicates a small deviation from axial symmetry. From a comparison of the present vQ value for the Cd-H pair with those listed in Table IV for G a P and InP, a decrease of the electric field gradient with increasing lattice constant can be inferred. Figure45 (lower portion) shows that this dependence of vQ on the lattice constant is common to the three ternaries, GaInP, AlGaAs, and InGaAs, investigated so far, including the respective binary compounds. Thus, if there is almost no change of the lattice constant, as for the AIAs-AIGaAs-GaAs alloy system, the vQ values for the Cd-H pairs also remain unchanged. Figure 45 shows that a systematic dependence of vv on the bandgap energy does not exist; thus, there is a distinct difference between the vQ values in Gao,491no,51P and in the AlGaAs compounds (lower portion) in spite of a similar bandgap energy (upper portion). Although the electric field gradient is always caused by a trapped H atom, its dependence on the actual lattice constant can be explained by assuming a constant bond length between hydrogen and the respective group V element, P or As (Burchard et ul., 1995). Then, the increasing lattice constant increases the distance between hydrogen and the Cd probe on the group I11 lattice site and thereby decreases the strength of the electric field gradient (see Fig. 45). The results for the ternary semiconductors in Fig. 44 demonstrate that PAC also provides information on defects in more complex systems as long as the short-range order is unique and gives rise to unique electric field gradients. In this sense, the technique complements other techniques that observe broadened signals when there is local disorder.
3. TRANSITION METALS In many respects, the behavior of the metallic impurities is similar to that of hydrogen atoms discussed in the foregoing. Metal impurities tend to migrate via interstitial lattice sites and exhibit strong interactions with dopant atoms. I t has been this similarity that led to the suggestion that the species that passivates acceptors in Si after chemomechanical polishing also might be hydrogen (Schnegg er uf., 1988). In this case, however, H atoms should exist in a different, metastable state because (i) the passivation
6
PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
373
observed in resistivity experiments extends across the entire wafer- a few hundred micrometers thick-instead of reaching a depth of only a few micrometers and (ii) the thermal stability of the passivation is significantly lower. As the passivation was observed to take place across the entire wafer, '"In was introduced into the back of the wafer before the polishing procedure. Figure 46 (middle section) shows that In-acceptor pairs are formed by this procedure, but the electric field gradients corresponding to vQ = 237 MHz and 334 MHz at 78 K are different from those of the In-H pairs (see Table IV). If Cu, however, was introduced into a separate, '"In doped wafer by low energy Cu' implantation (200 eV), the previous frequencies observed after polishing were exactly reproduced (top section).
polished 3
FIG. 46. Formation of "'In-Cu pairs in Si under different experimental conditions as observed by PAC at 78 K (see also Table V). Reprinted from Wichert (1992) with permission from the author.
374
THOMAS WICHERT
In this way, Keller et uI. (1990a) identified the passivating defects with acceptor-like Cu impurities, which are redissolved by the polishing procedure from near surface Cu precipitates (Prigge et d.,1989). Similar to the "'Cd-H pairs, the '"Cd-Cu pairs also exhibit pronounced temperature dependent dynamic effects as is illustrated in Fig. 47 (Keller et ul., 1992). In the present case, however, the temperature dependence of the observed electric field gradients is caused by a reorientation of the "Cd-Cu pairs, which gives rise to a fluctuation of the orientation of the electric field gradient tensor between different crystallographically equivalent lattice directions where its strength ( Ez) and symmetry ( q ) remain unchanged. The PAC time spectra along with their Fourier transforms in Fig. 47 show that by raising the temperature of the Si sample the amplitudes of the electric field gradients of both configurations of the Cd-Cu pairs, chararac-
-0 10
1
t
0 00
-0.10
H
-14
0.00
-0 10
3:
.
TM=170K
0
-0 10 .
4
500
000-
t (ns)
TM=POOK 1000 1500 2
w (Mrad/s)
FIG. 47. PAC data of Cd-Cu pairs in Si, characterized by v a , and 1lQ2, which show the attenuation of the corresponding amplitudes with increasing sample temperature because of the increasing reorientation rate of the Cd-Cu pairs (see Fig. 48).Reprinted from Keller et al. (1992) with permission from the authors.
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
375
terized by the coupling constants vQl and vQ2, become weaker until they vanish around 200 K. As cooling the sample reversibly restores the original amplitudes of both configurations, this vanishing of the amplitudes can not be caused by the dissolution of the "'In-Cu pairs because this process would be irreversible. The Fourier transforms show that the decrease around 125 K and 170 K of the frequency triplets belonging to vQ2 and vQ1, respectively, is accompanied by line broadenings that are identical for each frequency of the respective triplet. As was shown in Eq. (22), the damping of all frequencies w, by a common relaxation constant i is typically for dynamic effects. In contrast to the electronic effects already discussed here, the increase of 2 is not caused by the change of the strength or symmetry of the electric field gradient tensor, but exclusively by the reorientation of its direction; at the same time, a shift of the frequencies, as was visible in Fig. 27 and Fig. 36 for the "'Cd-P and "'Cd-H pairs, does not occur. The change of the orientation of the electric field gradient happens when the Cu atom in the Cd-Cu pair visits the four equivalent sites about the (daughter) probe "'Cd without detrapping as is displayed in Fig.48. The new configurations all exhibit 111) axial symmetry and are characterized by the same electric field gradient tensors, which differ only with respect to their actual (111) orientation. In a Si sample doped with 3 x 10l6 B ~ m - which ~ , is comparable to the local "'In concentration, the same dynamic behavior was observed also for the third Cd-Cu configuration by Keller et al. (1992),
<
C
FIG. 48. Tetrahedral interstitial sites about the probe atom Cd in Si that are visited by the Cu atom during the reorientation of the Cd-Cu complex.
376
THOMAS WICHERT
which is characterized by an electric field gradient with vp3 = 408 M H z and axial symmetry about (1 11) lattice directions (see Table V). While the three relaxation rates /Zi belonging to the three different Cd-Cu pairs exhibit a strong temperature dependence as is shown in Fig.49, the corresponding fractions ,A. describing the populations of the different configurations do not depend on the sample temperature in this temperature range; this means that no repopulation between the different configurations occurs. The linear dependence of IZi on the inverse temperature points to a thermally activated relaxation process. In view of the local diffusion of the bound Cu atom among the N = 4 equivalent tetrahedral interstitial sites about the Cd atom (Fig. 48), the relaxation rates 3, are related to the jump frequency w by il = ( N - 1)w (Baudry and Boyer, 1987). A fit of the Arrhenius relation 3” = I,, exp( - E,/kT) (33) to the extracted relaxation rates 3, yields the activation energy E , and prefactor w o = 3.,/3, which are listed in Table VI. The data in Fig. 49 show that relaxation rates in the range 0.5-50 x lo6 s are observable and that for the relative jump rates W/C(I,, which are in the range 0.0015-0.17, the condition for small relaxation rates w/oio << 1 is fulfilled. The relation I w, which holds for small relaxation rates, is replaced by il ( N w ) - ’ in the “motional narrowing” limit w/wo >> 1 where the PAC spectra are described
-’
-
-
f
Si:B
100 K
150
200 0
5.1012cm-3
100.0t rr
v-
I v)
a
s
10.0:
v
x
1.0 !
0.11 4
I
6
8
10
I
1/T (1000 K-l) FIG. 49. Arrhenius plot of the relaxation rate 2, caused by the reorientation of different Cd-Cu pairs,which are characterized by their coupling constants i t a i (circles: Si doped with 5 x B cm 3; squares: epi- Si doped with 5 x 10’’ B cmW3). Reprinted from Keller et al. (1992) with permission from the authors. ~
6 PERTURBED ANGULAR CORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
377
TABLE V1 ACTIVATIONENERGYE , AND PREFACTOR w,) = 2,J3 [see Eq. (33)] FOR THE LOCAL DIFFUSION OF Cd-Cu AND C~-HYDROGEN PAIRS I N Si
Cd-Cu 1 Cd-Cu2 Cd-Cu3 Cd-H Cd-D
237 334 408 270 270
0.21 0.13 0.09 0.21 0.21
3.3 x 0.4 x 1.8 x 2.8 x 0.9 x
10'2
lo'* loio 109 10'
by Eq. (23). As was already shown in Fig. 9, the high relaxation rate, which corresponds to a high reorientation rate of the electric field gradient tensor, causes an averaging of the observed electric field gradient to zero. The transition to this motional narrowing regime is also visible in the experimental spectrum of Fig. 47 recorded at 200 K. As compared to the spectra that are recorded at lower temperatures, this time spectrum shows an increase of the unperturbed fraction, visible by the increase of the constant offset. A locally restricted motion of hydrogen atoms about the (parent) probe "Cd in the temperature range between 270-430 K in Si was first identified by Gebhard et al. (1991) using the "'Cd-H pair. In order to avoid as much as possible the electronic relaxation effects due to the ionization of the (Cd-H)"- complex, which effects also occur in this temperature range and might mask the reorientation of the (Cd-H)''- pair, a Si sample doped with 3-5 x 10'' B cmP3 was used. As can be seen in Fig. 38, at this high doping concentration the (Cd-H)' configuration is primarily populated; it is char~ ,MHz ~ (at 78 K). For the two hydrogen isotopes H acterized by v ~ = 270 and D, the activation energies and prefactors extracted using Eq. (33) are listed in Table VI. If the activation energies are compared with the corresponding parameters of the Cd-Cu pairs, a close similarity is observed, in particular, if the correlation between E , and wo for the different Cd-Cu pairs in Eq. (33) is taken into account, which might be caused by uncertainties because of the rather narrow temperature interval. However, the prefactors of the Cd-H and Cd-D pairs are significantly smaller than those of the Cd-Cu pairs; in particular, if compared with the first Cd-Cu pair listed, a difference of four orders of magnitude exists. The occurence of the low prefactor along with its decrease when H is isotopically substituted by D was interpreted by Gebhard et al. (1991) in terms of a thermally activated tunneling of hydrogen about the Cd atom. These observations are in remarkable agreement with the activation energy of 0.19 eV and a prefactor
378
THOMAS WICHEKI
in the order of 10" s - ' , extracted by Stavola et nl. (1988) from infrared expcriments, as well as with theoretical calculations by Denteneer et nl. (1989b), which revealed a barrier of 0.2eV for the motion of hydrogen between the four equivalent bond-center sites next to a boron atom. Returning to the In-Cu pairs in Fig.46, the lower portion of the figure shows that In-Cu pairs are also formed in Si wafers that were neither polished nor intentionally doped with Cu, but that were heated to about 1200 K. Evidently, Cu precipitates were present in these wafers and were redissolved in this temperature range. The effect of redissolution of Cu precipitates as a function of the temperature at which the Si wafer was quenched is shown in Fig. 50 via the fraction of In-Cu pairs. The fraction of In-Cu pairs measured at 78 K strongly increases for annealing temperatures of above 973 K. Near 1173 K, the temperature at which the PAC data in F i g 4 6 were recorded, the pair fraction reaches a maximum. At this temperature, the solubility of Cu equals the local In concentration of about 5 x l o L 6cm-3. At still higher temperatures, the Cu-Cu interaction seems to be favored over the acceptor-Cu interaction so that the In-Cu fraction decreases. Figure 50 also exhibits the increase of the electrical resistivity measured in parallel for the same sample. The increase in resistivity, which should accompany the formation of passivating acceptor-Cu pairs, nicely follows the fraction of In-Cu pairs measured by PAC and is also observable for p-type Si wafers that were not previously implanted with '"In. It should be noted that the high sensitivity of the PAC technique in this case relies mainly on the fact that Cu precipitates are formed close to the Si surface, just where the "'In probe atoms reside after implantation with an energy
h
8 .-Lm
Si:B
v v 3
''
P,
3
20
-
-3
10
-
-2
Q
0600
- 1
0
ZJ. v1 P. 1
c
0 .c L)
m
t
800
1000
1200
w.
$
1400
Fic;. 50. Fraction of ' I 'In-Cu pairs (open triangles) and electrical resistivity data (closed circlcs) in Si measured as a function of the temperature from which thc sample was quenched. Reprinted from Wichert ct ul. (1990) with permission from the authors.
6 PERTURBED ANGULAR CORRELATION STUDIESOF DEFECTS
379
of 350 keV. The contamination with Cu observed here is common for p-type Si wafers delivered by numerous suppliers (Wichert et ul., 1990). The ubiquitous presence of Cu contamination in Si along with the problem of detecting its presence by PAC if the measurements are not performed below 200 K might also explain the observation of the Cu specific electric field gradients in other PAC experiments, such as in 'In implanted high-resistivity Si samples following electron irradiation (Forkel et ul., 1989); here, the formation of In-Cu pairs might already have occurred during the annealing treatment performed between the implantation and before the electron irradiation step. Finally, as the "as-delivered" Si wafers already contain Cu, the following measures were taken in order to achieve the identification of the electric field gradients with the Cu implantation experiment shown in Fig. 46 (Keller et al., 1990a; Wichert et ul., 1990). The sample consisted of a Si layer that was epitaxially grown on top of a Si substrate wafer doped with 4 x 10'8Bcm-3. Following the '"In implantation, the sample was annealed at 1100 K in order (i) to remove the implantation damage; and (ii) to getter the existing Cu atoms by the formation of acceptor-Cu pairs, which were mostly B-Cu pairs because the B concentration was about 100 times higher than the '"In concentration. In fact, that the fraction of "'In-Cu pairs was below 2%, that is, below the detection limit of the PAC experiment, was confirmed by a PAC measurement at 78 K. In the last step, the 200 eV Cu implantation was performed at 280 K. The observation of the In-Cu pairs at 78 K, directly following the Cu implantation, proved the relationship between the implantation of Cu' and the occurrence of the electric field gradients in the PAC experiment. In addition, implantation of 200eV Ar+ ions did not result in a measurable fraction of In-Cu pairs. Table V lists complexes formed between interstitial metallic impurities along with their hyperfine and the (parent) probes '"In or '""'Cd parameters. As in the case of pairing with H, most of the observed pairs exhibit axial symmetry with respect to a (111) lattice direction and, in Si, three electric field gradients usually characterize the respective pairs. It has been found that electric field gradients and formation conditions for the different In-Cu pairs more closely resemble the In-Li and In-Na pairs than the In-H pairs in Si. Because Li bound to an acceptor atom is known to reside at, or close to, the tetrahedral interstitial site, a near tetrahedral site should also be probable for Cu trapped by the acceptor In. Such an assignment would be supported by calculations by Estreicher (1990), who proposed the BC site for H, in agreement with Denteneer et al. (1989a), and the antibonding site close to the tetrahedral interstitial site for Li and Cu close to the acceptor B in Si (Fig.51). It should be noted that the observation of the third pair, that is, In-Cu3, In-Li3, In-Na3, and In-H3 ir
'
+
380
THOMAS WTCHERT
Fiti. 51. Lowest-energy configurations calculated by Estreicher (1990) for pairing between the acceptor B (full circle) and the interstitials H, Li, and Cu, shown for a (110) plane in Si. Given are the bond length in angstroms along with the degree of bonding (numbers in brackets). Repi-inted with permission from the author.
Table V, always requires a high acceptor concentration and/or a low sample temperature (see, e.g., vQlio in Fig. 38). Reislohner and Witthuhn (1990) reported the formation of In-Fe and n-Cr pairs, which were also observed by Gelhoff et al. (1990) in EPR iperiments. For 1'-detectors oriented along (1 11) and (100) lattice direcms, Fig. 52 (upper and lower sections, respectively) shows the formation
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
381
2
.E
0.8
E
tj
1
n
OS4
0.0 0.8
0.4
0.0 0
400 aoo 1200 FREQUENCY in Mrad/s
FIG. 52. Fourier spectra showing the formation of two different In-Fe complexes f(Fe1) and f(Fe3) in Si. The :$-detectorswere oriented along (1 11) and (1 10) lattice directions (top and bottom panels, respectively). Reprinted from Reislohner and Witthuhn (1990) with permission from the authors.
of two In-Fe complexes, In-Fel and In-Fe3, in Si. The fraction f(Fe3) shows the expected behavior for a complex with (1 11) orientation, that is, the near absence of the amplitudes belonging to the frequencies u2and w 3 in case of the (1 11) orientation of the y-detectors (upper section). The fraction f(Fe1) does not show such a dependence; in particular, the amplitudes of o2and w 3 remain almost unchanged for the two different orientation of the y-detectors. It was suggested by Reislohner and Witthuhn (1990), that this independence of the amplitudes is consistent with a “quasi-polycrystalline” angular correlation function, as described in Eq. (ll), which arises from many possible orientations of the characteristic electric field gradient tensors in single-crystalline Si. In spite of the single crystal lattice, such a situation can occur when the pair that is formed exhibits a large number of equivalent orientations in the Si lattice. For comparison, the interstitial defects, such as H, Li, or Cu situated at the different interstitial sites depicted in Fig. 30 or Fig. 48, give rise to only 4 equivalent (111) orientations of the electric field gradient tensor and, therefore, to the pronounced dependcncies on the
382
THOMAS WICHERT
orientation of the y-detectors which were observed, for example, in Fig. 32. For this reason, it can be excluded that the Fe atom in the In-Fel complex resides on a nearest or next nearest interstitial site, because it would give rise to 4 equivalent (111) or 3 equivalent (100) orientations, respectively. However, Fe on a hexagonal interstitial site located halfway between a nearest and next nearest tetrahedral site should lead to In-Fe pairs with 12 equivalent orientations along (311) directions of the Si lattice. The fact that two of the In-Fe pairs observed by PAC (In-Fel and In-Fe2 in Table V) exhibit symmetry axes of the electric field gradient that are not along a (1 1 1) direction would be in agreement with the (100) orientation of In-Fe pairs observed by EPR. In addition, Chantre and Kimmerling (1986) concluded from DLTS experiments that the formation of acceptor-Fe pairs should be charge-state controlled and this would lead to bistability effects that might also become observable in future experiments via the three different I ' 'In/"'Cd-Fe pairs observed by PAC.
V. Intrinsic Defects Compared to the complexes discussed so far, the identification of complexes formed with intrinsic defects is much more complicated. In spite of the well-defined, unique electric field gradients that characterize each of the complexes listed in Table VII, the difficulty of creating a single type of intrinsic defect and the problem of reliable theoretical calculations of the characteristic electric field gradient severely limit the investigation of intrinsic defects. There are no electric field gradients for intrinsic defects reported to date in III-V semiconductors.
1. IRRADIATIONAND QUENCHING The PAC signals of intrinsic lattice defects that were produced by particle irradiation of n-type Si are shown in Fig. 53 (Deicher et al., 1987). The Si In atoms and annealed at 1170 K were irradiated wafers implanted with with 130keV "Si' or 3'P+ ions to a dose of 5 x 10I2c m - 2 at 100K. The PAC spectra are shown for the three annealing temperatures 280 K, 450 K, and 870 K, at which the largest fractions of l 1 'In atom-defect complexes are observed. The different frequencies immediately show that different types of In-defect complexes are formed. Their fractions as a function of annealing temperature are plotted in Fig. 54. However, the information on these trapped defects collected to date has not been conclusive and does not allow
"'
'
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
383
TABLE V l l PAIRINGBETWEEN THE ACCEPTORS' ' 'In/' Complex
''Cd AND INTRINSICLATTICEDEFECTS ((jk)
VQ(MW
TW)
29 I42 45 1
295 295 78
0 0.42 0
2.0 3.0 1.3
54 420141 3
78 781295
0 0
1.3 1.1
ZnS In-V
81
295
0.16
ZnSe In-V In-De
72 136
295 295
0.05 0.15
60 113
295 295
0.1 0
In-V In-V
12 19
295 295
0.35 0.21
CdSe In-V In-V
67 71
295 295
0.32 0.05
CdTe In-V In-De
60 114
295 295
0.09 0
Silicon In-Del In-De2 In-De3 Germanium In-Del In-De2
ZnTe In-V In-De
'I
E D (eV)
References"
-
wica97; fora87
briia89; fora89; feua90; wica92 wica93 wica93; wola95
1.7 wica93; wola95
wica93; maga9l
CdS
1.3 1.3 wica93; maga91
"References hriia89 Briissler rt ul. (1989) feua90 Fewer et ul. (1990). fora87 Forkel et ul. (1987). fora89 Forkel er a/. ( I 989). kala82 Kalish ef u / . (1982). maga91 Magerle rt al. (1991).
kala82; wegm89 wica93: wola 95
wegmX9 wica89 wica92 wica93 wola95
Wegner and Meyer (1989) Wichert et al. (1989). Wichert et ul. (1992). Wichert et ul. (1993). Wolf rt a/. (1995).
the trapped defects to be confidently identified. The situation is further complicated by the fact that defects in semiconductors can occur in different electrical charge states so that both the mobility of the defect and its binding energy to other defects may differ. This behavior is known from EPR experiments that show that the stability of vacancies and vacancy-impurity pairs in Si is drastically altered by changes in the charge states of the defects
THOMAS WICHERT
384
TA- 2 8 0 K
n-si
R (t)
0 TA- 450 K
0 TA- 870 K
0
200
100
t
1
300
PSI
FIG. S 3 . Formation of three In-defect complexes in Si, which arc characterized by v, = 451 MHz, 29 MHz, and 142 MHz (top to bottom). The different complexes are observed after irradiation with '*Sit inns and subsequent annealing at the indicated temperatures. Reprinted from Deicher ct ul. (1987) with permission from the authors.
involved (Watkins 1985). The first complex, In-De3, characterized by v4 = 451 MHz at 78 K, is formed at the lowest annealing temperature in Fig.54 and, therefore, is assumed to represent the smallest of the three observed complexes. It is also observed after laser-quenching (Kemerink and Pleiter, 1987), as will be discussed in what follows. From EPR experiments it is known that vacancies become mobile in the temperature range from 80-220 K, depending on their charge state (Watkins, 1985). Thus, the formation of the In-De3 complex at around 220 K has been explained by the trapping of a neutral vacancy, the least mobile monovacancy in Si, at the In atom. Figure 54 shows that the disappearance of this defect around 400 K is accompanied by a simultaneous increase of the fraction of the second In-defect complex, In-Del, characterized by \rQ = 29 MHz. Therefore, In-De3 appears to first grow, and then to give rise to the new, larger complex In-Del upon annealing. In this model, In-Del should consist of a larger cluster of defects formed by the additional trapping of vacancies and/or impurity related defects such as C or 0 atoms. For the third
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIESOF DEFECTS 1
I
I
I
I
fl-3(P-doped]
,,
In implanted
x
v
I
,
"x
385
7
i
I
/
r-
e
L
45 1
'I
I
x.x
--
-*-
200
f, fl f2
-+-
'42
L
I0
r-x-x
I
400 600 800 1000 annealing temperature (K)
f3
1
1200
I.
1400
FIG. 54. Occurrence of the three different In-defect complexes, shown in Fig. 53, during isochronal annealing of "'In-doped and post-irradiated Si. The dashed line shows the incorporation of the "In probes on defect-free substitutional lattice sites. Reprinted from Deicher et ctl. (1987) with permission from the authors.
complex, In-De2 characterized by v, = 142 MHz, it has been found that its formation is favored by the high-defect densities that are produced by irradiation with heavy ions, such as Au'. Therefore, the complex should consist of a large number of intrinsic defects, and it is possible that its formation around 750 K again occurs via the second complex In-Del by the trapping of additional defects. This in-defect complex is stable up to 1000 K and dissolves above this temperature. At these high temperatures, all In atoms are in an environment characterized by a zero electric field gradient (see fraction fo, dashed line in Fig. 54) which is typical of a lattice environment for the In probe atoms located either at a tetrahedral interstitial or, more probably, on a substitutional lattice site. In order to examine the possible formation and structure of In-vacancy complexes in Si, 'In-doped Si wafers were laser-quenched by Kemerink and Pleiter (1987). From defect investigations in metals it is well known that quenching from high temperatures freezes-in thermal vacancies in the matrix. The result of this treatment, given in Fig.55, indeed shows a pronounced formation of In-defect complexes characterized by three different electric field gradients, which correspond to vQ = 360 MHz (#328), 451 MHz (#418), and 480 MHz ( #433) at 78 K. However, only one of the three complexes, characterized by vQ = 451 MHz (#418 in Fig. 55), corre-
'
386
THOMAS WICHERT
- O.’
1
i
I0
0.0
I
50
0.5
I delay time
1.0
100 Ins)
frequency lGrad/sl
150
1.5
2.0
FIG.55. PAC spectrum and its Fourier transform of “‘In-doped FZ-Si after laser quenching. The quoted numbers are the respective frequencies m , of the three In-defect complexes In-H1, In-De3, and In-H2. The corresponding coupling constants, listed in Table 1V and Table VII, are calculated from vv = (10/3z)w,. Reprinted from Kemerink and Pleiter (1987) with permission from thc authors.
sponds to a defect that is observable also after particle irradiation (see Figs. 53 and 54). The other two prominent complexes (#328 and #433) observed after laser-quenching do not appear to be associated with intrinsic defects because they are absent in irradiation experiments. In contrast to the original interpretation, the comparison of the corresponding coupling constants v, = 360 M H z and 480 MHz with those listed in Table IV reveals that these complexes are the In-hydrogen complexes In-H1 and In-H2, respectively, and, therefore, it has to be assumed that due to either the sample preparation or the laser-quench, hydrogen was unintentionally introduced. (This was discussed in Section IV.1.) Ion implantation represents a technologically important tool for the doping of semiconductors. However, a problem intimately connected with this procedure arises from the production of radiation-induced lattice defects near the implanted dopant atoms. This damage, that is, the actual ion-correlated displacement cascade, can be investigated easily using radio-
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
-
-0.1 1
n c -
2 0.0
. .
387
',~I
T=585K .
,
active probe atoms as the implanted dopants. Figure 54 showed the fraction of implanted "'In probe atoms on unperturbed lattice sites as a function of annealing temperature (dashed line; note the logarithmic ordinate). The figure illustrates the persistence of the implantation-induced defects in the vicinity of the dopant atoms, which during annealing give rise to three different In-defect complexes. As another example, Fig. 56 (left-hand side) shows the development of the defect structures about the donor "'In implanted with 350 keV into CdTe (Wichert, 1995). For comparison, results are given for a CdTe crystal that was additionally co-implanted with 2 x 1014As cm-' (300keV) and 5 x 10"As cmW2(60keV). In the asimplanted state, the PAC spectra of both samples exhibit an In-defect complex that is characterized by vQ = 114 MHz and q = 0. The signal, as site #2, is also visible in the Fourier transform of this spectrum (see Fig. 14, where the Fourier transforms of the complete annealing sequence that belongs to the As-implanted CdTe sample are shown). The complex, which was first observed in PAC experiments by Kalish et al. (1982) after 'In implantation, is ascribed to an athermally formed InCd-VTepair (Wolf et al., 1995) because the pair is observable in each CdTe crystal directly after fb
''
388
THOMAS WICHERT
implantation with '"In at 295 K and its formation does not depend on the co-implanted group V element N, P, As, or Sb. This interpretation is in agreement with that made by both Wegner and Meyer (1989) and Grann et a / .(1986), all of whom observed this defect after implantation of In by PAC Therefore, an intrinsic, irradi(Wegner and Myer) and MS (Grann et d.). ation-induced defect is most probably involved in the formation of this complex. The proposed V,, defect should be a donor in CdTe, what explains why the complex formed with the donor "'In develops only athermally during the irradiation process and exhibits a low thermal stability. The annealing sequence for the CdTe crystal, which was implanted only with " 'In, shows that at 735 K the fraction of "'In donors in a defect-free environment amounts to almost 100% (concluded from the absence of any visible electric field gradient in the PAC spectrum). At the same time, the R(t) spectrum shows a constant value of about -0.10, which, under the expcrimental conditions used, corresponds to the full anisotropy A,, or, according to Eqs. (24) and (21), to the fraction ,f= 100% of probe atoms with a vanishing electric field gradient. Actually, the theoretical value (known from nuclear physics) would be A , , = -0.18 (see Table I), but its magnitude had to be corrected for the experimental resolution of the yy coincidence set-up. The data of the crystal, co-implanted with As and annealed under Cd vapor (Fig. 56 right-hand side), show an electric field gradient characterized by v, = 186 MHz and q = 0 for 58% of the probe atoms at 735 K (see also site #3 in Fig. 14). Because the magnitude of this second electric field gradient depends critically on the nature of the co-implanted group V element, its occurrence has been attributed to the formation of In-As pairs, already discussed in Section 111.1.
2. SINGLERECOIL PROCESS It is well known that (n,y) processes induced by thermal neutrons locally produce single Frenkel pairs. Such a pair, which consists of a single vacancy and a self-interstitial atom, is created by the emission of the y-quantum, which can give rise to a single recoil process at the site of the excited nucleus (see also Section 11.3). Brussler et a / . (1989) showed that the result of a single recoil process can be directly observed in semiconductors by radioactive probe atoms. In this case, the single recoil process arises from the neutrino that is emitted during the EC decay, that is, the electron-capture decay, that populates the (parent) probe atom (see Fig.57). Note that this type of 8-decay is initiated by the capture of a K-shell electron, which transforms a proton of the nucleus into a neutron and leaves behind the daughter nucleus and a neutrino; for example, '"Sn + e- + "'In + v, (see Fig. 57, right-
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
(35min)
-,1 3-
1
i
IYS"
389
j
i
I ~
4
y
1
"Sn
eV
0
V
Y
2.5MeV
FIG.57. Nuclear-decay scheme of the isotope "'Sn (left). The two-body a-decay (EC) of '"Sn transfers a recoil energy of 29eV to the daughter nucleus, which is the (parent) PAC probe "'In. The recoil is caused by the emission of the 2.5 MeV neutrino (right). Reprinted from Wichert (1994) with permission from the author.
hand side). In this two-body process, daughter nucleus and neutrino share the released energy Q, resulting from the mass defect between "'Sn and "In minus the excitation energy of the daughter nucleus, according to the laws of conservation of energy and momentum so that the recoil energy E , of the daughter nucleus with mass M is given by
'
E,
=
Q2/2Mc2
(34)
Because of the low value of E,, this process produces a single recoiling nucleus, for example, "'In, leading to a simple defect structure, that is, an isolated Frenkel pair. In this way, it was possible to identify the "'In-defect complex, In-Del, in Ge (see TableVII) that was observed after electron irradiation (lower section of Fig. 58). An additional defect is not created by the subsequent fl-decay of "'In, which also occurs via an electron-capture process, because the recoil energy transferred to '"Cd is not larger than 0.9 eV (Fig. 57). Thus, the production of Frenkel pairs similar to the case of 'Sn has not been reported for the isotope In. In addition, the comparison of the formation of "'In-P and I'lmCd-P pairs in Si, discussed in Fig. 25 and Fig. 26, did also not reveal effects that might be caused by the
''
''
390
THOMAS WICHERT
neutrino recoil process. Finally, it is of interest that for the case of "'Sn, Sielemann et al. (1992) reported that a production of Frenkel pairs via the process discussed here was not detectable in the III-V compounds InP and InSb. The single recoil process was observed for Ge samples that were doped with radioactive "'Sn atoms via a nuclear reaction using heavy ions (Brussler et ul., 1989). First, the isotope "'Sn is produced for this purpose through the nuclear reaction 93Nb(22Ne, p3n) "'Sn using a 90 MeV 22Ne heavy ion beam, which strikes a 2 p m thick Nb foil as the primary target. Second, the isotope "'Sn is implanted into the secondary target, Ge in this case, using the transferred energy of about 18 MeV, which was imparted to the reaction product "'Sn. This isotope has a half-life of 35 min and decays via electron capture to the PAC (parent) probe atom '"In ( Fig. 57). During this decay the neutrino with an energy of 2.5 MeV is emitted and the recoil energy E , = 29eV is transferred to the isotope "'In. If this energy is just above the threshold for the production of a Frenkel pair and if the pair is stable against (spontaneous) recombination, such a pair is produced in the immediate vicinity of the (parent) probe "'In. The PAC spectrum in the upper section of Fig. 58 shows the result of the neutrino-recoil experiment in p-type Ge (Brussler et al., 1989).The implantation of Ge with the 18 MeV "'Sn isotope was performed for only 30min to ensure that not too many of the '"Sn atoms had already decayed to the (parent) probe '"In during either this implantation process or the subsequent annealing of the implantation-induced radiation damage. Finally, the sample was cooled to 10K, at which point the "'Sn isotopes decayed completely via the emission of the neutrino that provided the recoil energy of 29 eV to the '"In isotope. The frequency shown in the upper section of Fig. 58 is caused by the neutrino-recoil process and the associated defect remains visible up to 200 K. A comparison with the lower section of Fig. 58, the PAC spectrum obtained after electron irradiation at 77 K, shows that the trapped defect is identical to that measured in the neutrino-recoil experiment because of the identical coupling constant (va = 54 MHz). The threshold for Frenkel pair production in Ge is -15-25eV (Bourgoin and Lannoo, 1983) and, therefore, the defect observed after the recoil event should be one constituent of the Frenkel pair, that is, the vacancy or self-interstitial defect. Because the lowest threshold for atomic displacements is along (1 11) lattice directions, two possible sites exist for the 'In probe atom after the primary displacement: (i) the tetrahedral interstitial site in a ll'Ini-VGecomplex with a nearest neighbor vacancy; or (ii) a substitutional site in a '"InGe-VGe complex, again creating a nearest-neighbor vacancy. Considering that after electron irradiation the trapping of a mobile vacancy at the site of the '"In probe leads to the same complex, the InGe-VGe complex seems to be the more probable one.
'
6
PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
4.15"
391
I 200
400
tlrn.[".]
J 4.15;
200
400
tlm.[n.]
FIG. 58. Detection of the I "In-defect complex, In-Del, in Ge, following the neutrino-recoil proccss (top) and following electron irradiation (bottom). Reprinted from Briissler et al. (1989) with permission from the authors.
In the context of the discussion of passivation of acceptors in Ge by H atoms, the occurrence of a second intrinsic defect complex, In-De2 with vg = 420 MHz, was discussed, which was observed after ion irradiation (see Fig. 39 and Table VII). This complex is also observed after electron irradiation and the formation of In-De2 along with that of the In-V pair (In-Del) was studied in differently doped Ge crystals by Hasslein et al. (1998). The fractions f l and f2 of (parent) probes '''In involved in the formation of In-Del and In-De2, respectively, are plotted in Fig. 59 for TIand P-type Ge. The samples were irradiated with 5 x 1OI6 electrons cm-' and the concentration of free charge carriers IN, - N,I was determined by Hall experiments. The In-V pair already discussed here is formed exclusively in p-type Ge (open squares). This behavior is explained by an electronic level Vo'- of the vacancy defect that is situated in the lower half of the bandgap. Then, the decrease of the concentration of holes ionizes the vacancy defect Vo with the consequence that the trapping of the vacancy is no longer possible because a (thermally activated) pairing between the
392
THOMAS WICHERT 30 J 0
25 -
zc r_
-= 0 0 g
vql = 54 M H Z vq2 = 420 MHz
20-
15105-
0-
n
+-
INA-NDI[ ~ r n - ~+ l p
FIG. 59. Influence of the type ( n or p ) and concentration of free carriers in G e on the formation of the "'In-defect complexes '"In-Del (J1) and "'In-Dc2 (fz) after electron irradiation at 78 K with a dose of S x l0"cm '. Reprinted from Hasslein and Sielemann (1996) with permission from the authors.
'
'In-acceptor and the acceptor-type vacancy V - should not occur. Thus, In-Del is proposed to correspond to a ' l l l n ~ c - V ~pair. , The second complex is formed over a much larger range of doping concentrations (closed circles). Again, on the basis that the formation of the In-De2 complex will require a donor-type or, at least, a neutral defect, but will not occur with an acceptor-type defect, the authors assigned the formation of this complex to the trapping of a donor-type self-interstitial defect by the acceptor In, leading to the formation of a '"lnGe-I& complex. The abrupt decrease of .f, for donor concentrations above loL8cm-3 is explained by the ionization of an electronic level I + l o of the self-interstitial, which is situated close to the conduction band. The step-like decrease of f; for acceptor concentrations above cm-3 is explained by an increased trapping of self-interstitials at the Ga acceptors used as dopant atoms in p-type Ge. The increasing probability for the formation of Gacc-Ice pairs decreases the probability for the formation of the l"InGe-IGepairs. Tables VI1 and IV reveal that in Ge, the "'In-De2 and "'In-H complexes produce almost the identical electric field gradient tensor at the (daughter) probe l 1 'Cd, which initially led to the confusion regarding the identification of the observed defect, discussed in the context of Fig. 39. Both complexes are characterized by an electric field gradient with axial symmetry about a (111) lattice direction and the strengths are almost identical (being v y = 420 and 436 MHz). I n addition, both complexes exhibit the same dissociation energy of 1.1 eV. In Si, a similar situation regarding
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
393
electric field gradient and dissociation energy exists for the complexes "lIn-De3 and "'In-H2. Thus, it might be argued that for the formation of the complexes "'In-De2 and "'In-De3 in Ge and Si, respectively, the same intrinsic defect is responsible and that the properties of this defect resemble the thermal stability and electronic structure, as far as relevant to the electric field gradient, of an interstitial H atom next to the probe ll'In/ll'Cd. However, the final identification of the defect will have to wait for the advent of reliable theoretical calculations of the corresponding electric field gradients.
3. OFF-STOICHIOMETRY
It is well known that intrinsic defects are not only produced by particle irradiation but also by an appropriate thermal treatment of the semiconductor material. In particular, compound semiconductors easily form intrinsic defects when their composition deviates from exact stoichiometry (Marfaing, 1981). If these defects are electrically active, they are able to contribute to unwanted compensation effects in these materials. a.
Ccrtion Vucuncies
The electric field gradients visible in the PAC spectra of Fig. 60 and collected in Table V11 characterize pairs consisting of the donor '"In and the acceptor-like cation vacancy (Krings, 1994). In ZnS, CdS, ZnSe, CdSe, and CdTe, these pairs are easily formed if '"In is diffused into these compounds in the presence of the respective chalcogen component. In ZnTe the corresponding pairs are hardly formed. The strengths of the electric field gradients characterizing the In-V pairs are very similar, which supports the conclusion that in all compounds the same type of donor-acceptor pair is observed. The listed va values in Table VII reveal that for each compound, the strength of the electric field gradient is determined mainly by the chalcogen element of the host lattice (X = S, Se, or Te), whereas the group I1 element (M = Zn or Cd) hardly affects the electric field gradient. In ZnSe, ZnTe, and CdTe, which are crystals with zincblende structure, the donoracceptor pairs are characterized by a single electric field gradient, while in CdS and CdSe, which are crystals with wurtzite structure, two different electric field gradients are observed (see Fig.60 and TableVII). This difference is caused by the wurtzite lattice structure, in which the same defect can form two complexes that differ in their local arrangements and, therefore, give rise to two different electric field gradients. This situation is
394
THOMAS WICHERT 1 (ns)
0
0
200
200
400
400 t (ns)
600
w (Mradlr)
600 w (Mradls)
FIG. 60. Formation of ' ' 'In-vacancy pairs in different TI-Vl semiconductors after annealing at 1070 K (90min) under the vapor of the respective chalcogen component. Reprinted from Krings (1994) with permission from the author.
depicted in Fig.61, in which (B) and (C) show the two different configurations of an lncd-Vcd pair in CdS. For ZnS crystals, which also exhibit a the ratio for an ideal hcp wurtzite lattice, the c/a ratio is close to structure. Therefore, the difference between the two structurally nonequivalent complexes is very small, making the difference between the resulting electric field gradients too small to be experimentally resolved.
J8/3,
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
395
t"
,I "c
A
B
C
FIG. 61. Three different environments of the PAC probe "'In,, in hexagonal CdS, showing the isolated probe (A) along with the two possibilities for forming an 'Incd-Vcd pair (B and C). Reprinted from Magerle et al. (1991) with permission from the authors.
The growth and decrease of the fraction of the In-defect complexes upon alternately annealing under the vapor of the respective chalcogen and metal components further confirms the assignment of these complexes to In,-V, pairs (Wichert et al., 1993). For ZnSe, the first spectrum of Fig. 62 shows the result of heating the "'In-doped ZnSe crystal under Se vapor at 880K for 30min. The amplitude of the complex formed, characterized by vQ = 71.9 MHz and y = 0.05, can be reduced by subsequently heating the crystal under Zn vapor [spectrum (b)] and then reversibly increased again by heating under Se [spectrum (c)]. The last spectrum (d), measured after annealing at 880K in vacuum, demonstrates that the Zn vapor and not the temperature of 880K caused the reduction of the InZn-VZnpairs in spectrum (b). The identification of the trapped defect with a cation vacancy is in good agreement with the results of other microscopic techniques, like EPR, which has shown the formation of a donor-acceptor pair between group I11 or group VII donors and the V, defect-the so called A-center-in several 11-VI semiconductors (Schneider, 1985, Hofmann et al., 1992). The measured
396
THOMAS W [CHERT
0.0
-u
-0.1
v
d 0.0
-u
-0.1
v
d 0.0
-
pLLE++J ZnSe In :
-0.1
U
d
(d) 0.0
0
Vacuum 200
400
600
t (ns)
F"c;. 62. lnlluence of the annealing ambient (Se vapor. Zn vapor or vacuum) on the formation of ll'Inln-Vfn pairs. In each casc, thc ZnSc crystal was fired for 30min at 880K. Reprinted from Wichcrt ~t ul. (1993) with permission from the authors.
(111) orientation of the electric field gradient tensor is in agreement with EPR data, which showed that the unpaired spin of the V, defect is localized at the neighboring chalcogen atom for this type of donor-acceptor pair. In the context of the discussion of donor-acceptor pairing, for example, the pairing between the donor In and different group V acceptors in ZnSe (see Fig. 13), the correlation of type and concentration of the element introduced with the occurrence of the respective electric field gradient was used for identifying the probe atom-defect complex formed. Figure 63 shows the different electric field gradients that are observed by PAC if CdTe, in addition to the (parent) probe "'In, is doped with Sb, As, or Li (bottom to top). For the sake of comparison, the electric field gradient of the cation vacancy produced by heating under Te vapor is also shown. Obviously, each element produces its typical electric field gradient, which is characterized by vQ = 154 MHz (Sb), 186 MHz (As), and 60 MHz (Li), and it was observed that the change of the concentration of each element changes the amplitude of the corresponding electric field gradient. In addition, the smaller value of the electric field gradient in case of the acceptor Li is qualitatively understandable when the different distances of the acceptors to the probe atom
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
397
A-center
4
0.0
0
200 400 t (ns)
200 400 600 61 (Mrad/s)
FIG. 63. PAC data, showing the occurrence of different "'In-acceptor pairs in CdTe. Note that the samples heated under Te vapor or diffused with Li both exhibit the same electric field gradient. Reprinted from Wichert (1995) with permission from the author.
are taken into account. The distance is larger for a "'Inzd-Li~d pair than for the 'L'In,+,-As;e or l"Inc+d-Sb;e pair (see also Fig.63). However, as already discussed here, the electric field gradient with vQ = 60MHz is identical to that of a trapped cation vacancy (see also Fig. 63, upper section) and, therefore, should not belong to a trapped Li acceptor. The formation of Incd-Vcdpairs following diffusion of CdTe with Li atoms can be explained by the dissociation of the acceptor Li into an interstitial donor Li and a Cd vacancy according to
As can be seen in the upper two PAC spectra of Fig. 63, this process appears to be very efficient because the fraction of InCd-Vcd pairs is significantly larger after the diffusion with Li than after heating of the CdTe crystal under Te vapor. This apparent strong formation of In,-V, pairs following diffusion with Li is common to the various 11-VI semiconductors already discussed here (Wolf et al., 1997); for ZnTe the reaction described
398
THOMAS WICHERT
by Eq. (35) was actually first used for the formation of the InLn-VZn pair in this crystal, which was not visible in the data of Fig. 60. Because of the much more pronounced occurrence of the In-defect complex after Li diffusion, it is tempting to reassign the electric field gradients of the In,-V, pairs listed in Tablc VII to In,-Li, pairs. Such an assignment, on the other hand, would require a strong contamination of the 11-VI compounds with Li, which has to be comparable to the concentration of probe atoms in order to explain the visibility of the "'In-defect complexes in samples that were not intentionally treated with Li. In order to pursue this possibility, CdS crystals were doped with 10" In atoms cm313by diffusion of stable In in addition to the radioactive "'In (Wolf et ul., 1993). It was found that 50% of the In atoms still form the In-defect complex so that any explanation in terms of an Incd-Licd pair would require a concentration of at least 5 x l o i 7 Li atoms cmP3,being much higher than the 5 x lo1' Li atoms cm-3 reported in the literature (Henry et al., 1971). Although the formation of donoracceptor pairs with the (parent) probe "'In in the presence of group I elements such as Li or Ag is still a matter of discussion, eventually the PAC technique should be capable of identifying the relevant defect reactions. Among others, there is the possibility of studying the charge states of different probe atom-defect complexes by changing the doping condition and temperature of the sample (Ostheimer et al., 1997). Furthermore, the use of the (parent) probe 77Br as a different donor in the chalcogcn sublattice might provide a different approach for the identification of the interactions between a donor probe and the other intrinsic or extrinsic defects (Wolf et al., 1996). b.
Thermodynumic Purumeters
Thermodynamic properties of defects, such as migration energies E M and binding energies E,, can be obtained by measuring the fraction of donoracceptor pairs in an isochronal or isothermal temperature sequence. For the case of lncd-Vcdpairs in CdS, Fig. 64 shows the fraction of these pairs, which were measured by PAC within an isochronal annealing sequence (Wichert et ul., 1993). By quenching the sample after each heat cycle (30min), the temperature dependence of the following equilibrium reaction:
was observed. In a first step, the "'In-doped CdS crystal was heated at 943 K under S vapor in order to produce V,, defects in the crystal. The data
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
U
101 I1 300
I
I
500
700
399
1
''
FIG. 64. Formation of 'InC,,-Vcd pairs in CdS after heating to the indicated temperatures and quenching to room temperature. Reprinted from Wichert (1996) with permission from the author.
point at the lowest temperature T, in Fig. 64 was obtained after quenching the sample from this temperature into H,O at 290K. Because of the high cooling rate of 103-104 K s-', the formation of Incd-Vcd pairs was in part suppressed and isolated vacancies were frozen in. The following increase of the pair fraction from about 30 to about 50% is the result of the mobilization of the V,, defect, because In atoms become mobile at a much higher temperature. While this increase is governed by the migration energy of the vacancy, the subsequent decrease above 420 K depends on the dissociation energy ED of the Tncd-V,, pair, being the sum EM + E , = E D . The solid line in Fig. 64 is a fit to the data points according to the equilibrium reaction given in Eq. (36). With the help of additional isothermal annealing sequences, the thermodynamic parameters EM = 1.O eV and E , = 0.30 eV of the cation vacancy in CdS were determined. Compared to annealing sequences in which only the dissociation of the donor-acceptor pair can be observed, as was discussed in the context of Eq. (31), the present annealing program should yield significantly more reliable thermodynamic parameters. Finally, it should be remarked that the data in Fig. 64 along with the results of similar investigations in other 11-VI semiconductors show the presence of isolated cation vacancies in these materials, which are trapped by, or dissociated from, donor atoms, such as "'In or 77Br, depending on the thermal treatment of the sample.
400
THOMAS WICHERT
VI. Summary and Outlook The PAC technique identifies defects in semiconductors by measuring the defect specific electric field gradient at the site of radioactive probe atoms. Although possible in principle, the magnetic hyperfine interaction has not been used successfully to date for the identification of defects by PAC. The electric field gradient tensor has turned out to be a very efficient tool for the identification of probe atom-defect complexes or larger complexes, where usually the formation of close donor-acceptor pairs is observed. The identification of defects is considerably supported by the advent of theoretical models for the calculation of the defect specific electric field gradient tensor. By detecting the fraction of probe atom-defect complexes formed, the presence of defects in semiconductors is immediately proven and, at the same time, thermodynamic parameters of the involved defects, such as migration and binding energies, can be determined. If the fluctuation rates become comparable to the spin precession frequencies induced by the electric field gradient, electronic as well as geometrical changes of the complex formed with the (daughter) probe can be observed. There is equal sensitivity to extrinsic substitutional and interstitial defects as well as to intrinsic defects. Temperature and electrical carrier concentration of the sample give no inprinciple limitations to the applicability of the technique. The use of radioactive probe atoms ensures the sensitivity to low defect concentrations because the absolute number of required probe atoms is in the order of 10"-10'2 or below. As the experiments are easily extended to higher concentrations of probe atoms by the employment of stable isotopes of the same element, the PAC technique is well suited for combination with other analytical techniques. The problem of the limited number of radioactive isotopes that arc suited to this technique is, in part, alleviated by the availability of accelerator facilities, including existing ones such as ISOLDE (CERN, Geneva) and ISL (HMI Berlin) and others that should go into operation in France, Canada, Great Britain, and Japan within the coming years. The limitation of suited probes for the detection of defect specific hyperfine interactions is further eased if the isotopes that are suitable probes for Mossbauer spectroscopy are included. Furthermore, the understanding of the chemical transmutation process that often accompanies the PAC experiments is now well developed. The fact that formation and detection of the probe atom-defect complex can be performed at two different elements enables the measurement of electric field gradients of isolated defects, for example, of group V acceptors in CdTe, which offers easier access for the development of theoretical calculations of the experimentally observed electric field gradients. Another consequence of
6 PERTURBED ANGULARCORRELATION STUDIES OF DEFECTS
401
the transmutation process is that for an originally trapped defect, the free diffusion process can be observed by the (daughter) probe via the decrease of the amplitude of the pair fraction, for example, the free diffusion of H in InP using the formation of l 17Cd-H pairs and the subsequent transmutation to 'l'1n-H pairs (Burchard et ul., 1997a). There are interesting new developments that combine nonnuclear techniques, which usually are applied for the characterization of electrical and optical properties, with radioactive dopants in order to add chemical selectivity to these techniques. Among them are the PL, DLTS, Hall, and C-V measurements, as was mentioned in the Introduction. For these techniques, the availability of suitable radioactive probe atoms to serve as the dopant does not seem to be a serious problem because the magnitude of the nuclear lifetime of the parent isotope is the only requirement to be fulfilled and for each element a series of isotopes with varying p-lifetimes exists. Progress in the identification of defects made by these techniques will also further the use of PAC experiments in this field.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author would like to acknowledge the essential role of the many collaborators in Saarbrucken and Konstanz during the years of study on this topic. I am indebted to Dr. M. Deicher, Dr. T. Filz, and Dr. H. Wolf for many helpful discussions. Thanks are also due to Professor P. Blaha and Professor P. H. Dederichs for communicating their results on theoretical calculations and to Dr. M. Deicher and Professor M. Stavola for their suggestions and critical reading of the manuscript. The financial support by the Bundesministerium fur Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie is gratefully acknowledged.
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SEMICONDUCTORS A N D SEMIMETALS, VOL. SIB
Index
image unit cell vector, 237f Al,Ga, -,As capture barrier of DX center, 137f configuration-coordinate (C-C) diagram, 135f configuration-coordinate (C-C) diagram for negative U model, 140f DLTS spectra, 142f MODFET threshold time dependence, 136f Analytical techniques, 298-299 sensitivities, 299f see ulso specific analytical techniques Angular correlation function, 3 12 Anharmonic interactions, 203-206 Anharmonicity, 73, 193-206 ub initio calculation, 199-201 one-dimensional hydrogen-containing models, 195-201 in vibrational spectrum, 73 Anharmonic rotation of linear molecule, 170 Annealing of implantation-induced radiation damage, 326 on thin-film multilayers, 249-253 and radiation damage, 320 two-C center in Si, 87, 88f Antisymmetric stretching band of interstitial oxygen, 168, 169f, 171f in monoisotopic "Ge, 172f in natural Ge, 171f in Si, 169f
A Aberrations of electromagnetic lenses, 235 Absolute luminescence, 13 Absorbance calculation, 4 Absorption above- vs. below-bandgap, 28-29 calibration to concentration of centers, 45-46 concentration of centers, relationship, 5-6 Poisson distribution, 61f Absorption bands vibrational modes of SiGa/SiAs, 174f Absorption coefficient, 4, 5 above-band-gap light, 9, 9f Absorption-concentration correlation, 14.16 Acceptor decay time/binding energy, 47,48t Acceptor-hydrogen pairs, 353t Acceptor-interstitial atom pairs, 354t A-center, 395 charge state and vibrational frequency, 165 configuration, 218f DLTS/EPR correlation, 120 reorientation vs. temperature, 124 Watkins and Corbett model, 121-122 AlAs image unit cell patterns, 237f AlGaAs diffusion in, 249-253 DX centers, 99, 131-146, 137F, 141-145 emission transients, 141 image unit cell patterns, 237f
407
408
INDEX
Antisymmetric stretching mode frequency shift, 170 Arsenic-antisite defect. see EL2 point defect Arsenic vacancies, 264 As-H complex, 21 1 Atomic configuration of Si and emission processes, 141- 145 Auger particle emission, 47
B Band length, zero-phonon isotope dependence, 73 74 Band modes of vibration, 63-65 Bandshape, 65 Cu + S, 46f B-H complex, 209 Bloch waves, 244, 247 Bond angle Ge-0-Ge, 172 interstitial oxygen center, 170 Si-0-Si, 168 Born-Oppenheimer approximation, 58 Bound state perturbation, 76 77 Bulk defects. 264
c Capacitance spcctroscopy, 93 14.5. 98 I19 Capacitance transient sign, 103 Capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements, 277, 298 Capture cross section, 96, I 1 1 1 12 measurement by space-charge spcctroscopy, 1 19 and thermal/optical emission, 97f Capture rate, 112 electron vs. hole, YS Carbon in GaAs, 176-178 Carbon-oxygen center, 16 excited states, 76, 78 Carrier capture, 96, 102- 103 by DLTS, 112 emission separation, 102-103 by multiphonon emission, 96 C,,-H complex, 185-188 anharmonicity ab inifio calculation, 1Y9 in GaAs, 185 188 Cathodolumincscence, 3, 10 - 12 Cation vacancies, 393-398 ~
-
Cd-H pair, 360, 363 bandgap energy, 371f charge states, 362 configurations, 360 formation, 368f quadrupole coupling constant, 371f CdTe doped with Ca, 179-180 Charge state, effect on vibrational frequencies. 165 Charge transfer between centers, 49 Charge transient spectroscopy (CTS), 114 Chemical identification, 244-246 from cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (XSTM), 263 of impurities, 14-22 Chemical mapping, 235-238 Fo(P) function, 234 requircments, 238 sample preparation, 246--247 Chcmical transmutation, 342-351 Chemomechanical polishing, 372 Cleavage mechanism in XSTM, 268 Close defect pairs, 322 Clustering of dopants, 340-342 Coincidence spectra, 321 322 Combination modes in interstitial oxygen . in Si, 201-203 Complex defects, 288-293 Composition determination by vector pattern recognition, 237f from QUANTITEM, 242 thickness vs., 239 Compound semiconductors, 173- 183 Concentration by cross-scctional scanning tunneling microscopy (XSTM), 265 vibrational spectroscopy. 162 Concentration to absorption relationship, 5 6, 14-16, 45-46 Confidence level of lattice images, 235 Configurational coordinate (C-C) diagram, 58, 59f, 72 DX centers in Al,Ga,-,As, 135f DX centers in Si-doped AI,Ga,-,As, 135 Fe-A1 pair in Si, 128f ground state vibration, 59 negative U model of D X center, 140f Constant capacitance DLTS (CC-DLTS), 113-114
INDEX electron trap study, 132 GaAs and AIGaAs, 141 Contamination pathways, 358, 360 Coupling constants and temperature, 361 Cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (XSTM), 262-295 beetle type, 269f history, 264-265 requirements, 263 techniques, 267 269 tip position, 268-269 tip requirements, 266 Cu precipitates in Si, 378-379 Cu-Cd pair configuration, 375 377 Current-DLTS, 114 Cu-S pair in Si, 45 D Daughter probe atom, 317 Decay, nonradiative, 47 Decay afteraffect, 319, 343 Decay time of lumincscence, 46-49 and spectra simplification, 51 -53 tcmpcrature dependence, 50, 51f Deep defect states. see Traps Deep level characteristics, 94--98 concentration profile, 105 defects, 282-288 enthalpy, 97 signature, 108 see also Traps Deep level optical spectroscopy (DLOS), 114 Deep level spectroscopy, 107- 115 Deep level lransient spectroscopy (DLTS), 93-146, 94, 107-115,298 analog, 117f analysis methods, 118-119 computer-aided, 118 constant capacitance DLTS (CC-DLTS), 113-114 current-DLTS, 114 double-DLTS (DDLTS), I10 hole emission spectra, 109f instrumentation, 115-1 19 normalized signal, 108 optical-DLTS, I14
point defect complexes in Si, 120-131 reverse-bias pulsed-DLTS (RDLTS), I I1 scanning-DLTS (SDLTS), 115 with/without applied stress, 123f Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) spectra DX centers with hydrostatic pressure, 144f Se-implanted n-type Si, 130f Si-doped AI,Ga, _,As, 142f Defect complexes arsenic clusters in LT-GaAs, 290-291 isotope shift, 183-193 Defects, 23 arsenic-antisite (EL2) related, 264 atom sites, 23 bulk, 264 complex, 288-293 concentration and vibrational spectroscopy, I62 deep level, 282-288 in highly Si-doped GaAs, 292f identification by space-charge spectroscopy, 119 intrinsic, 382-392 intrinsic and off-stoichiometry, 393-400 light elements, 351 -372 shallow by XSTM, 272-282 substitutional dopants, 322-351 surface vacancies, 283-288 thermodynamic properties, 398 399 transition metals, 372-382 Zn-vacancy complex, 288-290 Delta-doped structures Raman spectroscopy, I66 Depletion region width, 99-100 Diamond absorption, 18f H2 center, 70 interstitial sites, 355f photoluminescence, 53f transmission through, 37f Diamond structure of semiconductors, 312 Diatomic chain vibrational mode, 155, 156f Dichroic ratio, 212 Dichroism, decay of stress induced, 213f Dielectric constant. see Permittivity Diffusion, 54-56, 55f in AIGaAs, 249-253 of excitons, 54-56
410
INDEX
Diffusion (c'orrfd.) in GeSi, 253- 255 V,;,, 251 -253 Diffusion coeflicient and impurity mass, 20 Diffusion jump, 214-216 Diode temperature measurement in DLTS, I17 Displacement of crystal, 86 Divacancy (V-V) pair, 120 DLTS. srr Dccp level transient spectroscopy Donor-acceptor complexes, 322 configurations, 331f Donor-acceptor pairing, 325 337, 396 Donor decay time/binding energy, 47, 48t Dopant clustering, 340 -342 Dopant-hydrogen complexes, 183-188 Dopant profiling by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (XSTM). 265 by XSTM,277-282 Double boxcar, 108, losf, 116 Double-DLTS (DDLTS), 110 Dual-gated signal averager, 108 DX center, 131 146 correlation energy, 138- 139 ~
E Effcctivc-mass electron, 76 Effective-mass-like orbits, 75-76 Effective-mass modeling applicability, 82-84 EL2 point defect, I 10, 131 , 262 in GaAs, 282 -283 trap, 110 Elcctrical anharmonicity, 194 Electrical transport measurements, 298 Electric field gradients calculation, 334- 337 for Cd-D pairs, 337f, 337t distribution, 313 experimental and theoretical, 335t materials producing, 312-313 orientation. 329 332 orientation change by Cu, 375 static, 309- 313 strength, 332-334 time-dependent lluctuations, 314-316 time-dependent, 313 316
Electric field gradient tensor, 303 Electric field perturbations, 36-38 Electric quadrupole interaction influence on angular corrclation, 310-311 Electron capture kinetics and DX centers, 135-138 emission rate and deep states, 96 emission rate for traps, 96 excited states, 74--84 scattering, 235 Electron-effective mass states, 341; 74-80 perturbation, 34f Electron-hole recombination, 47 Electronic degeneracy and thermalisation, 36 Electronic excited states, 66 68. 67f, 74 -84 applicability of cffcctive-mass modeling, 8 2 ~84 electron-effective mass states, 74-81 hole-effective mass states, 81-82 interaction, 66 68 role of vibration, 56-74 Electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), 298 Electron-nuclear interactions, effect of uniaxial strcss, 29-31 Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), 262, 298 correlation with DLTS, 120 correlation with space-charge spectroscopy, 119 Electron-phonon coupling, 58 Ellipse approximation, 244 Emission-channeling technique, 337-340 Emission transients, GaAs vs. AIGaAs, 141 Empty state images o f Zn, 274f Energy center in excited state. 58 loss by nonrelativistic electron, 10 I 1 Energy position deep layer, 94 measurement by space-charge spectroscopy, I19 Encrgy transfer, 48 49 between centers, 48-49 electron to lattice atom, 11 Enthalpy of deep lcvcl, 97 Epitaxial layer ctching in Si, 54-56 Raman spectroscopy, 166 ~
INDEX Excitation power, effect on luminescence, 53-54 Exciton above-bandgap excitation, 10 diffusion, 54-56, 55f lifetime in Si, 47 Exciton recombination, 75 and temperature, 49-51 Extra-nuclear fields, 308-309
F Fo(P)function, 232-233, 233, 240 chemical mapping vs. QUANTITEM, 234 Fano resonance, 164-165 Fast Fourier transform thermal emission transient analysis, 118 F-center in alkali halides, 24, 25f Fe-acceptor pairs, 126 Fe-acceptor pairs in Si, 124f Fe-A1 pair, 44-45, 127, 128f atomic models, 129f in Si, 44-45 Fe-B pair, stability, 125 -126 Fermi resonance, 203-206 Field effect transistor (FET), 115 Ficld gradient tensor, 304 orientation, 31 1 ~ 3 1 2 Fourier transform spectrometers, 160- 162 Fractional concentration of center, 41 Free carriers, 163-165 Frenkel pairs, 388 Frequency, ground state vs. vibrational, 73
G GaAs, 93 Be-doped spectra, 164f carbon in, 176-178 CAT-H,185-188 compensation mechanisms in Si-doped, 265, 291 - 293 configurations for Si, 1401 DX center, 13-139 EL2 point defect in, 99, 282-283 emission transients, 141 H, in, 188-191 image unit cell patterns, 237f ( 1 10) surface, 270-271f
411
oxygen in, 180-183 p-dopants, 212-273 point defect in anneals, 250-253 Raman spectroscopy, 175-176 Si,,-H, 184-185 Si,, STM images, 278f Si in, 173-176, 273-277 STM images, 263,264-265,279f vacancies in, 285-288 vibrational mode and Raman spectroscopy, 166- 167 implanted with 400 eV H', 366, 368f GaAs/AIGaAs quantum well, 236 Gallium vacancies, 264 GaP diatomic linear chain model, 155-157 Gap mode, 157, 173 G center, 44f cathodoluminescence, 55f local vibrational mode, 70 Generation centers. see Traps Gibbs free energy, 97 Ground-state energy shift, stress induced, 216-217 Group theory, 26
H H,, 188-193 Hall effect, 298 Harmonic vibration, 58-60 High-resistivity samples, 114 High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), 227-257 applications, 248-257 capabilities/limitations, 228 - 231 image resolution, 247 quantitative, 229- 23 1 quantitative analysis, 231 -248 sample preparation, 246-247 Hole burning in zero phonon lines, 85 Hole-effective mass states, 8 1-82 Huang-Rhys factor, 60, 64 Hydrogen in binary 111-V compounds, 365-370 in Ge, 364-365 motion, 377-378 passivation, 358 in Si, 352-363
412
INDEX
Hydrogen (Conrd.) stretching frequency and anharmonicity, 196 in tcrnary Ill-V compounds. 370 372 Hydrogen containing defect complexes, 183-188 Hydrostatic pressure DX centers, DLTS spectra, 144f on DX levela, 138 Hydrostatic stresses, 77 Hyperline interactions, 302-305, 310 dynamic electronic effect observation, 351
unstable, 20-22 Isotope effect, 16-21 on vibrational sidebands, 68-70 zero-phonon line, 70-74 Isotopes, radioactive, 299- 300 Isotope shifts and vibrational spectroscopy, 167 193 Isotopic Zccman splitting, 39, 40f
J Jahn-Teller distortion, 65, 80 Junction space charge methods, 94
I Image unit cell vectors, 235-238 AIGaAs, 2 3 3 Impurities chemical identification, 14 22 in compound semiconductors, 173-1 83 concentrations, 14 22 lattice site and charge state, 337 metallic, 372 -382 signaturcs of trace impurities, 122 spatial distribution, 325 vibrational degrees of freedom, 160 vibrations, 154- 160 Infrared absorption spectroscopy, 160 162 Jn-H pairs, 352, 354, 355f thermal stability, 356, 357f, 358 htcgratcd absorption, 6 Integrated absorption coellicient local oscillating defect modes, 161 Intensity distribution, projected poteiitial relationship, 232- 233 Interfacial roughness, 244, 255-256 Interstitial carbon-substitutional carbon pairs, 127-129 Interstitial HJD,, 190-191 Interstitial oxygen, 168S173 combination modes, 201 -203 lntrinsic defects, irradiation, 382 388 Inverse Laplace transforms thermal emission transient analysis, 118-119 Inversion symmetry of centers, 36-38 Ion channeling, 298 Ion implantation, 386-388 lsotopc doping stable, 16-20 ~
K Kaplyanskii theory, 33 Kinetics of defect motion, 211-216 Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (KKR) Green's function method, 336
L Lattice deformation, 57-58 Lattice images division for real-space analysis, 233 234 from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), 228--23I real-space analysis, 231 248 Lattice relaxation DX center, 133 145 and electric field gradient, 335 Lattice sites of probe atoms, 337 -340 Light element impuritics, 153-219, 351-372 substitution, 157-159 Lincar chain model for local vibrational modes, 154---167 Linearized-augmented-plane-wave (LAPW) method, 334 Local mode of vibration. see Single modes of vibration Lorentzian lineshapes, 84 Lorentzian thermal broadening, 8f Low symmetry, 42 Luminescence, I absolute, 13 decay time, 46 49, 481 decay with unstablc element decay, 20 21 delayed detection, 51-53
413
INDEX effect of excitation power, 53-54 efficiency, 47 lifetime, 45-54 Poisson distribution, 61f polarized, 39-41 techniques, 3 temperature dependence, 49 -51 M Magnetic perturbations and spin states, 38-39 Mass and vibrational frequency, 167 Metallic impurities, 372-382 Metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), 109- 110 Metastable defect complexes, 123 - 125 Metastable defects, 126-129 Method of moments, thermal emission transient analysis, 118 Migration (of atoms through lattice), 43f, 43-45, 44f Minority carrier capture, 103 Modulation-doped field effect transistors (MODFETs), 132 Monoclinic I center, 31-32, 32f, 33 symmetry and stress parameters, 78 symmetry in Si, 32-34 Morse oscillator, 197 I99 Mossbauer spectroscopy (MS), 300 Motional narrowing, 314 Motion of defects, 211-216 Multistability, 41 -45 N
Ni isotope in diamond, 17, 20 Nonexponential thermal emission transients, 106 Nonradiative decay, 47 Nonradiative recombination, 95 Nuclear decay scheme of daughter probe, 306, 307f Nuclear magnetic resonance, 298 Nuclear quadrupole moment, 3 I7 Nuclear spin, 300, 317 alignment, 305-308, 306 elTects, 611 of H,, 189
0 Off-stoichiometry and intrinsic defects, 393-400 Optical absorption, 1, 3-8 Optical capture rates, 94 Optical center, 16-20 chemistry, 16-20 production modeling, 17f Optical-DLTS, 114 Optical emission and capture processes, 97f rate in deep levels, 94, 98 Optical ionization cross section, 107 Optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) data, 79 Orthoganality of states, 60 Oxygen in GaAs, 180-183 in Ge, 171-173 in Si, 168-171 Oxygen-vacancy ( 0 - V ) pair. see A-center
P Paramagnetic resonance, optical center observation, 48 Parent probe atom, 317, 323 concentration, 319-320 Passivation, 352 after chemomechanical polishing, 372373 of electrical conductivity, 352 group IT acceptors in GaAs, 368 hydrogen, 358 Path of image unit cell vector, 234, 240. 241f, 242 p-dopants in GaAs, 272-273 Pearson VII function, 6 Pendellosung effect, 235, 239 Permittivity, 75 Persistent photoconductivity (PPC), 132 Perturbations, 195 197 effect on electronic states, 24 electric field, 36-38 magnetic, 38-- 39 and one-dimensional anharmonicity potential, 195-197 of SiGA donor, 274 uniaxial stress, 28 -36, 57
414 Perturbed angular correlation (PAC), 305316 electronic setup, 320 321 expcrimcntal method, 300-322 time spectrum, 322 Phosphorescence, 3 Phosphorous isotope in Si, 20- 21 in ailicon, 14-16 vacancies, 264 Photobleaching, 78 Photoionization cross section in DX centers, 133-134 Photoluminescence, 3 abovc-band-gap excitation, 8-10 below band-gap excitation, 12 I3 from donor-acceptor pair recombination, 325 x-ray excitation, 22 Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), 298 Piezospectroscopic tensor, 208--209 Point defect annealing in two-carbon in Si, 87, 88f charge transfer between, 49 chemical identification, 14--22 concentration and absorption, 5 concentration and luminescence, 10 concentration variation, 54-56 deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), 120-131 electrically neutral, 77-81 energy transfer between, 48-49 fractional concentration, 41 interaction and separation, 41 45 inversion symmetry, 36-38 nonrddiative recombination in deep levels, 95 orientation, 26-28 photoexcitation, above bandgap, 10 photoexcitation, below bandgap, 12-13 quantum efficiency, 13 rcactions by DLTS, 123-125 spatial location, 54 56 structure, 23-45 Polarized excitation photocapacitance (PEP), 121, 122f Polarized luminescence, 39-41 Poole-Frenkel effect, 106 Principle of detailed balance, 96 Probe atom-defect complex, 322
INDEX electronic configurations, 346-350 formation, 3 I8f geometrical configuration, 343-346 probability of formation, 345 recognition, 327 Probe atoms acceptable for PAC, 318f, 324 isotopes, 318t lattice sites, 337-340 suitability for PAC, 316-317 Projected potential from high-resolution transmission microscopy (HRTEM), 229- 230 Projected potential, intensity distribution relationship, 232-233 Pure-spin system, 80
Q Quadrupole coupling constant, 31 1 of Cd-H pairs, 371 Quantitative high-resolution transmission microscopy (HRTEM), 229-231 QUANTITEM, 239-256 applicability, 245t compositition measurement, 242 ellipse approximation error, 244 sample preparation, 246-247 spatial resolution and sensitivity. 255t Quenching, 378, 382-388
R Radiation damage annealing, 320, 326 effect o n lattice images, 247 implantation-related, 351 -352 Radiative decay, Ci-Oi complex, 51f Radiative lifetime effects, 45-54 Radioactive isotopes, 299-300 and defect identification, 129-131 Radioactive nuclei and DLTS, 120 Radioactive probe atoms, 316-320 Raman scattering, 298 Raman spectroscopy heavily Si-doped GaAs, 175- 176 and local mode vibration, 165-167 Si treated in hydrogen plasma, 190 stretching vibration of H,, 188 Rate window, 107, 116f
415
INDEX operations in DLTS, I16f Real-space analysis of lattice images, 231248 applications, 248-257 implementation, 233-234 principle, 232 - 233 software, 297-298 see ulso Chemical mapping; QUANTITEM Recombination, nonradiative, 95 Recombination centers. see Traps Recombination of electron-hole, 47, 75 Reflection coefficient, 5 Reflections, chemical, 235 Reorientation B-D VS. B-H, 213-214 diffusion jump, 214.- 216 effects, 41-45 kinetics, 212 Reverse-bias pulsed-DLTS (RDLTS), 111 Root mean square (rms) displacement, 28 Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), 298
S Sample damage from cathodoluminescence beam, 11 Sb-H complex in Si, 204f, 205f Scanning-DLTS, 115 Scanning probe methods (SPM), 262 Scanning tunneling microscopy techniques, 265-269 Scanning tunneling spectroscopy, 267 Schottky barrier diode, 101, 104 Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), 162, 277 Shallow defects, 272-282 Shallow donor/acceptor states, 93 Shallow trap ionization and temperature, 49-50 Si :Cu + S, 45, 46f bandshapes, 46f excited states, 52 splitting of triplet states, 40f uniaxial stress, 35f Si,,-H complex, 184--185 anharmonicity, 199 in GaAs, 184-185 Signature of deep level, 108
Silicon, 173-176 in GaAs, 173-176 relative permittivity, 75 Silver-related center, 67f, 68 Single modes of vibration, 57-63, 70, 71, 154-167 splitting, 69f Single recoil process, 388-393 Si-0-Si bond angle, 168- 173 Si/SiO, interfacial roughness, 255-256 Software, real-space analysis of lattice images, 297- 298 Space-charge layer, 99, l0Of semiconductors vs. bulk insulators, 101 Spatial localization of exciton, 54-56 Spin coupling, 34-35 Spin selection rule, 80 Spin states effect of uniaxial stress, 30 transitions, 50-51, 52f Zeeman effect, 38-39 Stable isotope doping, 16-20 Stark effect, 37, 38 Strain tensor components, 86 Stress in cubic semiconducting crystal, 29 zero-phonon lines, 84-87 Stress-split component equilibrium, 35-36 Structure of crystal centers, 23-45 Substitutional dopants, 322-351 vs. interstitial impurities, 351 Substitutional impurities in 11-VI semiconductors, 178-180 Surface (1 10) in GaAs, 270 passivation, 263 111-V semiconductors, 263 silicon, 263 unreconstructed, 263 vacancies, 283-288 Symmetry, 23-28 cause of low symmetry, 42 of optical centers, 23-28 reduction from Td to D,d, 78
T T center, 39, 41 effect of carbon isotopes, 69-70 zero-phonon lines, 83f
416 Temperature and decay time, 50, 51 f and exciton recombination, 49-51 scans in DLTS, 117 vibronic spectrum, 68 zero-phonon energy, 72 zero-phonon line, 50f Tensor components, 29 Thermal capture rates, 94 Thermal emission, 118-119 and capture processes, 97f in deep levels, 94 transient analysis techniques, 118-1 19 Thermal equilibrium of stress-split components, 35 - 36 Thermodynamic properties of defects, 398399 Thermoluminescence, 3 Thickness maps, 244 111-V compound semiconductors DX centers, 131 146 111-V semiconductors atom pairing, 325 ( I 10) surface, 270 surface, 263 Trace impurities, signatures, 122 Transient capacitance measurements, 99.105 Transistor size, 226 Transition energy stress-induced shirt, 207-208 Transition metals, 372 382 Transition region width, 105 Transitions elcctric-dipolc bctwccn states, 58-59 probabilities, 60 triplet to singlet, 80 Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), 227-257, 262 Transmitted amplitude (solid sample), 5 Trap concentration, 106, 109--110 measurement by space-charge spectroscopy, 1 I9 Traps, 95 in depletion region, 101-102 EI.2, 110 empty and electron capture, 103 occupied density, 103 Triboluminescence, 3 Trigonal center, 27
INDEX stress-induced shifts, 209, 210t 11-VI semiconductors, 365 substitutional impurities, 178- 180 Two-phase lock amplifier, 117 Two-phonon intensity Two-phonon processes, 64
U Uniaxial stress correlation with microscopic properties. 217-218 effect o n trigonal center in Si, 42f ground-state energy shift, 216-217 perturbation, 28-36, 57 vibrational line splitting, 207-21 1 Unstable isotope doping, 20-22
V Vacancies in GaAs, 264 stability, 383 surface, 283-288 Vegard’s law, 85-86 V,, in GaAs, 251-253 Vibration band modes, 63-65 isotope effects, 68-70 in luminescence spectra, 56 74 role in electronic transitions, 56-74 single modes, 57-63, 70 Vibrational spectroscopy, 153-219, 262 donor-H complexes in Si, 203 Vibronic coupling, 5, 66-68 W
Wannier exciton, 47 Watkins and Corbctt 0 - V pair, 121-122 Wavefunction, 58, 95 aberration-free, 230 deep level, 282 localization, 95 Tor point defect, 58 Wurzite structure, 393
X X-ray absorption fine-structure
INDEX measurements (EXAFS), 298 X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL). 22
Z Zeeman effect, 38 -39 Zero-phonon line, 6, 15f absorption spectrum, 7f effect of uniaxial compression, 31f
417
intensity, 60-61 isotope dependence and band length, 73 isotope effects, 70-74 thermal broadening, 8f Zero-phonon Iineshapes, 6-8, 84 87 Pearson VII, 6 Zinc, empty state images, 274f Zincblende structure, 393 Zinc-vacancy defect complex, 288-290
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Contents of Volumes in This Series
Volume 1 Physics of 111-V Compounds C . Hilsum, Some Key Features of 111-V Compounds Frunco Brrssuni, Methods of Band Calculations Applicable to IIILV Compounds E . 0. Kune, The k-p Method K L. Bonch-Brueuich, Effect of Heavy Doping on the Semiconductor Band Structure Donald Long, Energy Band Structures of Mixed Crystals of III-V Compounds Laura M. Roth and Petros N. Argyres, Magnetic Quantum Effects S. M. Puri und T. H . Geballe, Thermomagnetic Effects in the Quantum Region W. M. Becker, Band Characteristics near Principal Minima from Magnetoresistance E. H. Purley, Freeze-Out Erects, Hot Electron Effects, and Submillimeter Photoconductivity in InSb H. Weiss, Magnetoresistance Betsy Ancker-Johnson, Plasma in Semiconductors and Semimetals
Volume 2 Physics of 111-V Compounds M.G. Holland, Thermal Conductivity S. I. Novkova, Thermal Expansion U. Piesbergen, Heat Capacity and Debye Temperatures G. Giesecke, Lattice Constants J. R. Drubble, Elastic Properties A. U. Mac Rae and G. W. Gobeli, Low Energy Electron Diffraction Studies Robert Lee Mieher, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Bernurd Goldstein, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance T. S. Moss, Photoconduction in IIILV Compounds E. Antoncik ad J. Tauc, Quantum Efficiency of the Internal Photoelectric Effect in InSb G. W. Gobeli and f. G. Allen, Photoelectric Threshold and Work Function P. S. Pershun, Nonlinear Optics in 111-V Compounds M. Gershenzon, Radiative Recombination in the 111-V Compounds Frunk Stern, Stimulated Emission in Semiconductors
419
420
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
Volume 3 Optical of Properties 111-V Compounds Marvin Hass, Latticc Kcflection Wittiam G. Spitlet., Multiphonon Lattice Absorption D. L. Stierwult and R. F. Potter, Emittance Studies H . R. Philipp and H. Ehrmveich, Ultraviolet Optical Properties Munucl C'trrdonu, Optical Absorption above the Fundamental Edge Earnest J. Johnson, Absorption near the Fundamental Edge John 0. Dimwmck, Introduction to the Theory of Exciton States in Semiconductors R. Lax arid J. G. Muvroides, lnterband Magnetooptical Effects H . Y. Fh. Effects of Free Carries on Optical Properties Eclivurtl D.Palik und (;c'orge B. Wright, Free-Carrier Magnetooptical Effects Richurd H. Buhe, Photoelectronic Analysis B. 0. Seruphin and H . E. Bennett, Optical Constants
Volume 4 Physics of 111-V Compounds N . A. C;Oryunovu, A. S.Borschewkii. and D. N. Trtfiakov, Hardness N. N. Sirota, Heats of Formation and Temperatures and Heats of Fusion of Compounds Aii'Bv Don L. Kenikull, Diffusion A . G. Chynowbcth,Charge Multiplication Phenomena Roberr W. K e y s , The Effects of Hydrostatic Pressure on the Properties of 111-V Semiconductors L. W. Ar~kern~trn, Radiation Effects N. A. Goryunovrr, E: P. Kesrirnunly. and D. N. Nasledov, Phenomena in Solid Solutions R. T. Rate,, Electrical Properties of Nonuniform Crystals
Volume 5 Infrared Detectors H i w y Levinstein, Characterization of Infrared Detectors Paul W. Kruse, Indium Antiinonide Photoconductive and Photoelectromagnetic Dctcctors M. B. Prince, Narrowband Self-Filtering Dctcctors lvurs Melngulis und T. C. Harman. Single-Crystal Lead-Tin Chalcogcnidcs Donald Long and Joseph L. Schtnid!, Mcrcury-Cadmium Telluride and Closely Related Alloys E. H . Putley, The Pyroelectric Detector Nortnan B. Strwns, Radiation Thermopiles R. J. Keves and T. M. Qui.st, Low Level Coherent and Incoherent Detection in the Infrared M . C. Teich, Coherent Uctcction in the Infrared f;. R. Aratns, E. IK Surd, B. J. Peyton, unrf F. P. PUCK,Infrared Heterodyne Detection with Gigahertz IF Rcsponse H. S. Sommers, Jr.. Macrowave-Based Photoconductive Detector Roherr Sehr und Rainer Zuleeg, Imaging and Display
Volume 6 Injection Phenomena Murrr1.v A . Lumprrt and Ronald R. Schilling, Currcnt Injection in Solids: The Regional
Approximation Method Hichrrrd Williams, Injection by Internal Photocmission Allen M . Btirnc~tt,Current Filament Formation
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
421
R. Buron and J. W. Muyer, Double Injection in Semiconductors W. Ruppel, The Photoconductor-Metal Contact
Volume 7 Application and Devices Part A John A. Copeland and Stephen Knight, Applications Utilizing Bulk Negative Resistance F. A. Pudovani, The Voltage-Current Characteristics of Metal-Semiconductor Contacts P. L. Hower, W. W. Hooper. B. R. Cairns, R. D. Fairmun, and D. A . Tremere, The GaAs Field-Effect Transistor Marvin H. White, MOS Transistors G. R. Antell, Gallium Arsenide Transistors T. L. Tunsley, Heterojunction Properties
Part B T. Misuwu, TMPATT Diodes H. C. Okean, Tunnel Diodes Robert B. CumpbeN and Hung-Chi Chung, Silicon Junction Carbide Devices R. E. Enstrorn, H. Kressel, unci L. Krassner, High-Temperature Power Rectifiers of GaAs,_,P,
Volume 8 Transport and Optical Phenomena Richard J. Stirn, Rand Structure and Galvanomagnetic Effects in 111-V Compounds with Indirect Band Gaps Roland W. Ure, Jr., Thermoelectric Effects in 111 V Compounds Herbert Piller, Faraday Rotation H. Barry Bebb and E. W. Williurns, Photoluminescence I: Theory E. W. Williurns and H. Barry Bcbb, Photoluminescence 11: Gallium Arsenide
Volume 9 Modulation Techniques B. 0. Seruphin, Electroreflectance R. L. Aggurwul, Modulated lnterband Magnetooptics Dunirl F Blos~eyand Paul Hundler, Electroabsorption Bruno Butz, Thermal and Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopy Ivur Balslev, Piezopptical Effects D E. Aspnes und N. Bottku, Electric-Field Effects on the Dielectric Function of Semiconductors and Insulators
Volume 10 Transport Phenomena R L. Rhode, Low-Field Electron Transport J. D. Wiley, Mobility of Holes in 111-V Compounds C. M. Wolfe und G. E. Stillman, Apparent Mobility Enhancement in Inhomogeneous Crystals Robert L. Petersen, The Magnetophonon Effect
422
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
Volume 11 Solar Cells Harold J. Hovel, Introduction; Carrier Collection, Spectral Response, and Photocurrent; Solar Cell Electrical Characteristics; Efficiency; Thickness; Other Solar Cell Devices; Radiation Effects; Temperature and Intensity; Solar Cell Technology
Volume 12 Infrared Detectors (11) W. L. Eiseman, J . D. Merriam. and R. F Potter, Operational Characteristics of Infrared Photodetectors Peter R Brutt, Impurity Germanium and Silicon Infrared Detectors E. H . Putley, lnSb Submillimeter Photoconductive Detectors G. E. Stillman, C. M . Wove, and J. 0.Dimmock, Far-Infrared Photoconductivity in High Purity CaAs G. E. Stillmirn and C. M. Wove, Avalanche Photodiodcs P. L. Richard.y, The Josephson Junction as a Detector of Microwave and Far-Infrared Radiation E. H. Putley, The Pyroelectric Detector-An Update
Volume 13 Cadmium Telluride Kenneth Zunio, Materials Preparations; Physics; Defects; Applications
Volume 14 Lasers, Junctions, Transport N. Holonyak, Jr. untl M . H . Lee, Photopumped Ill-V Semiconductor Lasers Henry Kressel and Jerome K. Butler, Heterojunction Laser Diodes A Van cler Ziel, Spacc-Charge-Limited Solid-State Diodcs Peter J. Price, Monte Carlo Calculation of Electron Transport in Solids
Volume 15 Contacts, Junctions, Emitters B. L. Sharma, Ohmic Contacts to Ill-V Compounds Semiconductors Allen Nussbaum, The Theory of Semiconducting Junctions John S. Escher, NEA Semiconductor Photoemitters
Volume 16 Defects, (HgCd)Se, (HgCd)Te Henry Kressel, The Effect of Crystal Defects on Optoelectronic Devices C. R. Whitseti, J. G. Broerman, und C. J. Summers, Crystal Growth and Properties of Hg, -*Cd,Se alloys M. H. Weiler, Magnetooptical Properties of Hg,-xCd,Te Alloys Paul W. Kruse und John G. Ready, Nonlinear Optical Effects in Hg,-xCd,Te
Volume 17 CW Processing of Silicon and Other Semiconductors James F Gibbons, Beam Processing of Silicon Arto Lietoila. Richard B. Gold, Jumes F Gibhons. and Lee A. Christel, Temperature Distribu-
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
423
tions and Solid Phase Reaction Rates Produced by Scanning CW Beams Arto Leiioila and James f? Gibbons, Applications o f CW Beam Processing to Ion Implanted Crystalline Silicon N. M. Johnson, Electronic Defects in CW Transient Thermal Processed Silicon K. E Lee, T. J. Stultz, and James F. Gibbons, Beam Recrystallized Polycrystalline Silicon: Properties, Applications, and Techniques T. Shihata. A. Wakita, ?: W Sigmon, and Jumes E Gibbons, Metal-Silicon Reactions and Silicide Yves I. Nissim und James F. Gihbons, CW Beam Processing of Gallium Arsenide
Volume 18 Mercury Cadmium Telluride Paul W. Kruse, The Emergence of (Hg,-xCd,)Te as a Modern Infrared Sensitive Material H. E. Hirsch, S. C. Liang, and A . G. White, Preparation of High-Purity Cadmium, Mercury, and Tellurium W. F. H. Micklerhwaite, The Crystal Growth of Cadmium Mercury Telluride Paul E. Petersen, Auger Recombination in Mercury Cadmium Telluride R. M. Broudy and V. J. Mazurczyck, (HgCd)Te Photoconductive Detectors M . B. Reine, A. K. Soad, and T. J. Tretlwell, Photovoltaic Infrared Detectors M . A. Kinch, Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Infrared Detectors
Volume 19 Deep Levels, GaAs, Alloys, Photochemistry G. F. Neumark and K. Kosai, Deep Levels in Wide Band-Gap 111-V Semiconductors David C. Look, The Electrical and Photoelectronic Properties of Semi-Insulating GaAs R. F. Brebrick, Ching-Hua Su, und Pok-Kai Liuo, Associated Solution Model for Ga-In-Sb and Hg-Cd-Te Yu. Ya. Gurevich und Yu. K Pleskon, Photoelectrochemistry of Semiconductors
Volume 20 Semi-Insulating GaAs R. N. Thomas, H. M. Hobgood, G. W Eldridge, D. L. Barrett, T. T. Braggins. L. B. Tu, and S. K. Wung, High-Purity LEC Growth and Direct Implantation of GaAs for Monolithic Microwave Circuits C. A. Stolte, Ion lniplantation and Materials for GaAs Integrated Circuits C. G. Kirkpatrick, R. T. Chen, D. E. Holmes, P. M. Asbeck, K. R. Elliott, R. D. Fuirrnan, and J. R. Oliver, LEC GaAs for Integrated Circuit Applications J. S. Blakemore and S. Rahimi, Models for Mid-Gap Centers in Gallium Arsenide
Volume 2 1 Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Part A Jacques I. Punkove, Introduction Masutuku Hirose, Glow Discharge; Chemical Vapor Deposition Yoshiyuki Uchida, di Glow Discharge T. D. Moustakas, Sputtering Zsao Yumada, Ionized-Cluster Beam Deposition Bruce A. Scott, Homogeneous Chemical Vapor Deposition
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CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
Frunk J Kumpus,Chemical Reactions in Plasma Deposition You/ A . Longewuy, Plasma Kinetics N(,rherr A . Weuklicin, Diagnostics of Silane Glow Discharges lising Probes and Mass Spectroscopy Lester Gluftmun, Relation between the Atomic and the Electronic Structures A. Chenevus-Puule, Experiment Determination of Structure S. Minotnuru, Pressure Effects on the Local Atomic Structure Dnvid Adler, Defects and Density of Localized States
Part B Jaccpes I. Punkove, lntroduction G. D. Cody, The Optical Absorption Edge of a-Si:H Nahil M , Atner and Wurren B. Jackson, Optical Properties of Defect States in a-Si: H P. J. Zunzucchi, The Vibrational Spectra of a-Si:H Yoshihiru Hunzukawa, Electroreflectance and Electroabsorption J
Part C Jucqucr I. Punkuve, Introduction .I. Duvid Cohen, Density of States from Junction Measurements in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon P. C. Tuylor, Magnetic Resonance Measurcments in a-Si: H K. Morigaki, Optically Detected Magnetic Resonancc J. Drpsner, Carrier Mobility in a-Si: H 7: Tiedje, Information about band-Tail States from Time-of-Flight Experiments ArnoM R. Moore, Diffusion Length in Undopcd a-Si: H W. Beyer und J. Overhuf; Doping Effects in a-Si: H If. Fritzche, Electronic Properties of Surfaces in a-Si:H C. R. Wrunski, The Staebler-Wronski Effect R. J. Ncinaizich, Schottky Barriers on a-Si: H R. Aheles utzri T.Ticdie,Amorphous Semiconductor Superlattices
Part D Jacques 1. Punkovc, Introduction D.E. Curlson, Solar Cells G. A . Swurfz, Closed-Form Solution of I V Characteristic for a a-Si: H Solar Cells lsinnzi Shivzizu, Electrophotography Suchio M i o k u , Image Pickup Tubes
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
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P. G. LeCornher und W. E. Spear, The Development of the a-Si: H Field-Effect Transistor and Its Possible Applications D. G. Ast, a-Si: H FET-Addressed LCD Panel S. Kuneko, Solid-state Image Sensor Masukiyo Mutsumuru, Charge-Coupled Devices M. A. Bosch, Optical Recording A. D’Amico and G. Fortunuto, Ambient Sensors Hiroshi Kukimoto, Amorphous Light-Emitting Devices Robert J. Phelan, Jr., Fast Detectors and Modulators Jacques I. Punkove, Hyhrid Structures P. G. LeComber, A. E. Owen, W. E. Speur, J. Hujto, und W. K. Choi, Electronic Switching in Amorphous Silicon Junction Devices
Volume 22 Lightwave Communications Technology Part A Kaiuo Nukujimu, The Liquid-Phase Epitaxial Growth of IngaAsp W. T. Tsung, Molecular Beam Epitaxy for 111-V Compound Semiconductors G. B. Stringfellow, Organometallic Vapor-Phase Epitaxial Growth of 111-V Semiconductors G. Beuchet, Halide and Chloride Transport Vapor-Phase Deposition of InGaAsP and GaAs Munijeh Ruzeghi, Low-Pressure Metallo-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition of Ga,in, xAsP, Alloys P. M . Petrqff, Defects in 111-V Compound Semiconductors ~
~
Part B J. P. van der Ziel, Mode Locking of Semiconductor Lasers Kum Y. Lau und Ammon Yuriv, High-Frequency Current Modulation of Semiconductor Injection Lasers Churles H. Henry, Special Properties of Semiconductor Lasers Yusuhuru Suemutsu, Kutsumi Kishino, Shigehisa Arui, and Fumio Koyumu. Dynamic SingleMode Semiconductor Lasers with a Distributed Reflector W. T. Tsung, The Cleaved-Coupled-Cavity (C3) Laser
Part C R. J. Nelson and N . K . Duttu, Review of InGaAsP InP Laser Structures and Comparison of Their Performance N. Chinone und M . Nukamuru, Mode-Stabilized Semiconductor Lasers for 0.7-0.8- and 1.1 - 1.6-pm Regions Yoshiji Horikoshi, Semiconductor Lasers with Wavelengths Exceeding 2 pm B. A. Deun und M. Dixon, The Functional Reliability of Semiconductor Lasers as Optical Transmitters R. H. Saul, T. P. Lee, and C. A. Burus, Light-Emitting Device Design C. L. Zipfel, Light-Emitting Diode-Reliability Tien Pei Lee und Tingye Li, LED-Based Multimode Lightwave Systems Kinichiro Oguwa, Semiconductor Noise-Mode Partition Noise
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CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
Part D Federico Cupusso, The Physics of Avalanche Photodiodes
T. P. Peursull und M . A. Polluck, Compound Semiconductor Photodiodes Tukuo Kunedu, Silicon and Germanium Avalanche Photodiodes S. R. Forrest, Sensitivity of Avalanche Photodetector Receivers for High-Bit-Rate LongWavelength Optical Communication Systems J . C. Ciimpbell, Phototransistors for Lightwave Communications
Part E Shj,h Wung, Principles and Characteristics of Integrable Active and Passive Optical Devices .%/orno Murgulit and Apnnon Yuriv, Integrated Electronic and Photonic Devices 7itktruki Mukui, Yoshihistr Yumumoto, rind Tutsuyu Kimuru, Optical Amplification by Semiconductor Lasers
Volume 23 Pulsed Laser Processing of Semiconductors R. F Wood, C. W. White, und R. T Young, Laser Processing of Semiconductors: An Overview C. W. White, Segregation, Solute Trapping, and Supersaturated Alloys G, E. Jclli.son, Jr. Optical and Electrical Properties of Pulsed Laser-Annealed Silicon 17. F. Wund and G. E, Jellison, Jr., Melting Model of Pulsed Laser Processing R. F. Wood und F. W. Young, Jr,, Nonequilibrium Solidification Following Pulsed Laser Melting D. H . Lowndes trnd G. E. Jellison, Jr., Time-Kcsolved Measurement During Pulsed Laser Irradiation of Silicon D.M. Zebner, Surface Studies of Pulsed Laser Irradiated Semiconductors D. H. Lowndes, Pulsed Beam Processing of Gallium Arsenide R. B. Ju~nes,Pulsed CO, Laser Annealing of Semiconductors R. T. Young und R. F. Wood, Applications of Pulsed Laser Processing
Volume 24 Applications of Multiquantum Wells, Selective Doping, and Superlattices C. Weishuch, Fundamental Properties of 111 V Semiconductor Two-Dimensional Quantized Structures: The Basis for Optical and Electronic Device Applications H. Morkoc and H. Unlu, Factors Affecting the Performance of (Al,Ca)As/GaAs and (Al, Ga)As/lnGaAs Modulation-Doped Field-ElTect Transistors: Microwave and Digital Applications N . 1: Linh, Two-Dimensional Electron G a s FETs: Microwave Applications M. Ahc et ul., Ultra-High-speed H E M T Integrated Circuits D. S. Chemlu, D. A. B. Miller, und P. W. Smith, Nonlinear Optical Properties of Multiple Quantum Well Structures for Optical Signal Processing F. Cupusso, Graded-Gap and Superlattice Devices by Band-Gap Engineering W. T. Tsung, Quantum Confinement Heterostructure Semiconductor Lasers G. C, O.rbourn et u1.- Principles and Applications of Semiconductor Strained-Layer Superlattices
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
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Volume 25 Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors W. Giriut und J. K . Furdyna, Crystal Structure, Composition, and Materials Preparation of Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors W. M. Becker, Band Structure and Optical Properties of Wide-Gap AILXMn,B'" Alloys at Zero Magnetic Field Saul Oserof and Pieter H. Keesom, Magnetic Properties: Macroscopic Studies Giebultowicr and T. M. Holden, Neutron Scattering Studies of the Magnetic Structure and Dynamics of Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors J . Kossut, Band Structure and Quantum Transport Phenomena in Narrow-Gap Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors C. Riquaux, Magnetooptical Properties of Large-Gap Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors J. A . Guj, Magnetooptical Properties of Large-Gap Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors J. Myciehki, Shallow Acceptors in Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors: Splitting, Boil-off, Giant Negative Magnetoresistance A. K. Rarnadus rmd R. Rodriyuer, Raman Scattering in Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors P. A. WolK Theory of Bound Magnetic Polarons in Semimagnetic Semiconductors
Volume 26 111-V Compound Semiconductorsand Semiconductor Properties of Superionic Materials Zou Yuunxi, 111-V Compounds H. V. Winston, A . T. Hunter, H. Kimurrr, und R. E. Lee, InAs-Alloyed GaAs Substrates for Direct Implantation P. K Bhaituchury und S. Dhur, Deep Levels in 111-V Compound Semiconductors Grown by MBE Yu. Yu. Gurevich unrl A. K. Ivunov-Shits, Semiconductor Properties of Supersonic Materials
Volume 27 High Conducting Quasi-One-Dimensional Organic Crystals E. M. Conrvell, lntroduction to Highly Conducting Quasi-One-Dimensional Organic Crystals I . A . Howurd. A Reference Guide to the Conducting Quasi-One-Dimensional Organic Molecular Crystals J. P. Pouquet, Structural Instabilities E. M. Conweff,Transport Properties C. S. Jucohsen, Optical Properties J. C. Scott. Magnetic Properties L. Zuppiroli, Irradiation Effects: Perfect Crystals and Real Crystals
Volume 28 Measurement of High-speed Signals in Solid State Devices J. Frey and D.Ioannou, Materials and Devices for High-speed and Optoelectronic Applications H. Schumacher und E. Strid, Electronic Wafer Probing Techniques D. H. Auston, Picosecond Photoconductivity: High-speed Measurements of Devices and Materials J. A. Vuldmunis, Electro-Optic Measurement Techniques for Picosecond Materials, Devices, and Integrated Circuits. J. M . Wiesen/elrlund R. K. Juin, Direct Optical Probing of Integrated Circuits and High-speed Devices G. Plows, Electron-Beam Probing A. M. Weiner and R. B. Marcus, Photoemissive Probing
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CONTEN'I'S OF VOLUMES IN
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Volume 29 Very High Speed Integrated Circuits: Gallium Arsenide LSI uric/ T. Nuxki. Active Layer Formation by Ion Implantation Ii. I/u.rirnoto, Focused Ion Bcam Implantation Technology
M. Ki4;uIiuru
T. Nozirki und A . Higushisuka, Device Fabrication Process Technology M. Inn und T Takudir, GaAs LSI Circuit Design M. Hiriryunztr, M. Olimori, and K. Yurnmaki, GaAs LSI Fabrication and Performance
Volume 30 Very High Speed Integrated Circuits: Heterostructure H . Wutunuhe, T. Mizrctuwi, (mil A. Usui, Fundamentals of Epitaxial Growth and Atomic Layer Epitaxy S. Hiyirrnizu. Characteristics of Two-Dimensional Electron Gas in I11 V Compound Heterostructures Grown by MBE T Nukunisi, Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy for High-Quality Active Layers T. Nirnuru, High Electron Mobility Transistor and LSI Applications T. S~lgctirund T Ishibashi, Hetero-Bipolar Transistor and LSI Application H. Matsuedu. T. Tiznuka, rind M . Niikirniuru, Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits
Volume 3 1 Indium Phosphide: Crystal Growth and Characterization J . /'. Purges, Growth of Discoloration-free InP M . J . MKoNtrm and G. E. Stillvrim, High Purity InP Grown by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy T. Inadu und 1: Fukutlti, Direct Synthesis and Growth of Indium Phosphide by the Liquid Phosphorous Encapsulated Czochralski Method 0. Odr, K, KiilirXiri, K. Sliirzol~uru,S Karsura. Y. Tukuhirshi, K. Kuinosho. K. Knhiro. and R. Hirurio, InP Crystal Growth, Substrate Preparation and Evaluation K. Tudu, M. Ttrtsiinii, M . Morioku, T Aruki, and T. Kuwrrse, InP Substrates: Production and Quality Control M. Razrghi, LP-MOCVD Growth, Characterization. and Application of I n P Material T A . Kennedy urid P. J. Lin-Chung, Stoichiomctric Defects in InP
Volme 32 Strained-Layer Superlattices: Physics T P. Peursall, Strained-Layer Superlattices Fred H. Polluck, Effects of Homogeneous Strain on the Electronic and Vibrational Levels in Semiconductors J . Y, Murzin, J. M. Gcriird, P. Voisin, and J. A. Brum, Optical Studies of Strained 111-V Heterolayers R. Projdr t r i d S. A . Jockson, Structurally Induced States from Strain and Confinement M . Jiruos, Microscopic Phenomena in Ordered Suprlattices
Volume 33 Strained-Layer Superlattices: Materials Science and Technology R. Hull c r r z d J. C', Becit~,Principles and Conccpts of Straincd-Layer Epitaxy William J. Schufl Puul J. Tusker, Murc C. F0i.r.v. and Lester I? Eastman, Device Applications of Straincd-Layer Epitaxy
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
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S. T. Picraux, B. L. Doyle, and J. Y. Tsao, Structure and Characterization of Strained-Layer Superlattices E. Kasper and F. Schaffer, Group IV Compounds Dule L. Martin, Molecular Beam Epitaxy of IV-VI Compounds Heterojunction Robert L. Gunshor, Leslie A. Kolodziejski, Arto V. Nurmikko. and Nobuo Otsuka, Molecular Beam Epitaxy of 11-VI Semiconductor Microstructures
Volume 34 Hydrogen in Semiconductors J. 1. Punkove nnd N. M. Johnson, Introduction to Hydrogen in Semiconductors C. H. Seager, Hydrogenation Methods
J. I. Punkove, Hydrogenation of Defects in Crystalline Silicon J. W Corhett, P. Dedk, U . V Desnica, and S. J . Pearton, Hydrogen Passivation of Damage Centers in Semiconductors S. J. Pearton, Neutralization of Deep Levels in Silicon J. I. Pankove, Neutralization of Shallow Acceptors in Silicon N. M. Johnson, Neutralization of Donor Dopants and Formation of Hydrogen-Induced Defects in n-Type Silicon M. Sfuvula rind S. J. Peurfon, Vibrational Spectroscopy of Hydrogen-Related Defects in Silicon A. D. Marwick, Hydrogen in Semiconductors: Ion Beam Techniques C. Herring und N . M . Johnson, Hydrogen Migration and Solubility in Silicon E. E. Huller, Hydrogen-Related Phenomena in Crystalline Germanium J. Kakalios, Hydrogen Diffusion in Amorphous Silicon J. Chevulier, B. Clcrjaud, and B. Pajot, Neutralization of Defects and Dopants in IIILV Semiconductors G. G. DeLeo and W. B. Fowler, Computational Studies of Hydrogen-Containing Complexes in Semiconductors R. F. Kiefl and T. L. Estle, Muonium in Semiconductors C. G. Van de Walle, Theory of Isolated Interstitial Hydrogen and Muonium in Crystalline Semiconductors
Volume 35 Nanostructured Systems Mark Reed, Introduction H. van Houten. C. W. J. Beenakker, and B. J. van Wees, Quantum Point Contacts G. Timp, When Does a Wire Become an Electron Waveguide? M. Biittiker, The Quantum Hall Effects in Open Conductors W. Hansen, J. P. Kotthaus, and U.Merkt, Electrons in Laterally Periodic Nanostructures
Volume 36 The Spectroscopy of Semiconductors D.Heimun, Spectroscopy of Semiconductors at Low Temperatures and High Magnetic Fields Arto V. Nurmikko, Transient Spectroscopy by Ultrashort Laser Pulse Techniques A. K . Ramdus and S. Rodriguez, Piezospectroscopy of Semiconductors Orest J. Glembocki and Benjamin V. Shanabrook. Photoreflectance Spectroscopy of Microstruc-
tures David G. Seiler. Christopher L. Littler. and Margaret H. Wiler, One- and Two-Photon Magneto-Optical Spectroscopy of InSb and Hg, _xCd,Te
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CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN
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Volume 37 The Mechanical Properties of Semiconductors A.-B. Chen, Arden Sher and W. T. Yost, Elastic Constants and Related Properties of Semiconductor Compounds and Their Alloys Duvid R. Clarke, Fracture of Silicon and Other Semiconductors Huns Siethuf; The Plasticity of Elemental and Compound Semiconductors Sivuraniun Guruswumy. Katherine T. Fuher and John P. Hirth, Mechanical Behavior of Compound Semiconductors Suhhanh Muhujan. Deformation Behavior of Compound Semiconductors John P. Hirth, Injection of Dislocations into Strained Multilayer Structures Don Ken~ltill, Churles B. Fleddermann. and Kevin J . Mulluy, Critical Technologies for the Micromachining of Silicon fkuo Matsuba and Kinji Mokuyu, Processing and Semiconductor Thermoelastic Behavior
Volume 38 Imperfections in IIIlV Materials Udo Scherz and Maff~7ias SchcBer, Density-Functional Theory of sp-Bonded Defects in HI/V Semiconductors Muria Karninska and Eicke R. Wc>ber,El2 Defect in GaAs David C. Look, Defects Relevant for Compensation in Semi-Insulating GaAs R. C. Newman, Local Vibrational Mode Spectroscopy of Defects in llI/V Compounds Andrzej M. Hennel, Transition Metals in 111,W Compounds Kevin J. Miilluy und Ken Khucha/uryun, DX and Relatcd Defects in Semiconductors V. Swwninathan and Andrew S. Jordan, Dislocations in fll/V Compounds Krzysztof’ W. Nuuka, Deep Level Defects in the Epitaxial IIljV Materials
Volume 39 Minority Carriers in 111-V Semiconductors: Physics and Applications Niluy K. Durn, Radiative Transitions in GaAs and Other I11 V Compounds Richard K. Ahrenkiel, Minority-Carrier Lifetime in Ill-V Semiconductors Tomofumi Furuta, High Field Minority Electron Transport in p-GaAs Murk S. Lundstrum, Minority-Carrier Transport in 111-V Semiconductors Richard A . Ahram, Effects of Heavy Doping and High Excitation on the Band Structure of GaAs David Yevirk and Witold Bardyszew.rki, An Introduction to Non-Equilibrium Many-Body Analyses of Optical Processes in 111-V Semiconductors
Volume 40 Epitaxial Microstructures E. F. Schubrrt, Delta-Doping of Semiconductors: Electronic, Optical, and Structural Properties of Materials and Devices A. Gossard, M. Sundaram, and P. Hupkins, Wide Graded Potential Wells P. Petroff, Direct Growth of Nanometer-Size Quantum Wire Superlattices E. Kapon, Lateral Patterning of Quantum Well Heterostructures by Growth of Nonplanar Substrates H. Ternkin, D. Gershoni, and M. Puni.sh, Optical Properties of Gal-,In,As/InP Quantum Wells
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
43 1
Volume 41 High Speed Heterostructure Devices f? Capasso, F. Beltrum, S. Sen, A. Pahlevi, and A. Y. Cho, Quantum Electron Devices: Physics and Applications P. Solomon, D. J. Frunk. S. L. Wright, and F Canora, GaAs-Gate Semiconductor-InsulatorSemiconductor FET M. H. Hashemi und U. K. Mishru, Unipolar InP-Based Transistors R. Kiehl, Complementary Heterostructure FET Integrated Circuits T. Ishibashi, GaAs-Based and InP-Based Heterostructure Bipolar Transistors H. C. Liu and T. C. L. C. Sollner, High-Frequency-Tunneling Devices H. Ohnishi, T. More, M. Takatsu, K. Imamura, and N. Yokoyama, Resonant-Tunneling Hot-Electron Transistors and Circuits
Volume 42 Oxygen in Silicon f? Shimura, Introduction to Oxygen in Silicon W. Lin, The Incorporation of Oxygen into Silicon Crystals T. J. Schaffner and D. K. Schroder, Characterization Techniques for Oxygen in Silicon W M. Bullis, Oxygen Concentration Measurement S. M.Hu, Intrinsic Point Defects in Silicon B. Pujot, Some Atomic Configurations of Oxygen J. Michel and L. C. Kimerling, Electical Properties of Oxygen in Silicon R. C. Newman and R. Jones, Diffusion of Oxygen in Silicon T. Y. Tan and W. J. Taylor, Mechanisms of Oxygen Precipitation: Some Quantitative Aspects M. Schrems, Simulation of Oxygen Precipitation K Simino and I. Yonenaga, Oxygen Effect on Mechanical Properties W. Bergholz, Grown-in and Process-Induced Effects F. Shimura, Intrinsic/Internal Gettering H. Tsuyo, Oxygen Effect on Electronic Device Performance
Volume 43 Semiconductors for Room Temperature Nuclear Detector Applications R. B. James and T. E. Schlesinger, Introduction and Overview L. S. Darken and C. E. Cox, High-Purity Germanium Detectors A. Burger, D. Nason, L. Van den Berg, and M. Schieber, Growth of Mercuric Iodide X J. Bao, T. E. Schlesinger, and R B. James, Electrical Properties of Mercuric Iodide X J. Bao, R. B. James, and T. E. Schlesinger, Optical Properties of Red Mercuric Iodide M. Hage-Ali and P. Stffert, Growth Methods of CdTe Nuclear Detector Materials M. Huge-Ali and P Szffert, Characterization of CdTe Nuclear Detector Materials M. Huge-Ali and P. Siffert, CdTe Nuclear Detectors and Applications R. B. James, T. E. Schlesinger, J. Lund, and M. Schieber, Cd,_xZn,Te Spectrometers for Gamma and X-Ray Applications D. S. McGregor, J. E. Kammeruad, Gallium Arsenide Radiation Detectors and Spectrometers J. C. Lund, F Olschner, and A. Burger, Lead Iodide M. R. Squillante, and K. S. Shah, Other Materials: Status and Prospects V. M. Cerrish, Characterization and Quantification of Detector Performance J. S. Iwunczyk and B. E. Putt, Electronics for X-ray and Gamma Ray Spectrometers M. Schieber, R. B. James, and T. E. Schlesinger, Summary and Remaining Issues for Room Temperature Radiation Spectrometers
432
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
Volume 44 11-IV BluelGreen Light Emitters: Device Physics and Epitaxial Growth J. Hun and R. L. Gunshor, MBE Growth and Electrical Properties of Wide Bandgap ZnSe-based I1 VI Semiconductors Shizuo Fujittr und Shigeo Fujitu, Growth and Characterization of ZnSe-based 11-VI Semiconductors by MOVPE Etrsen Ho trnd Leslie A. Kolodziejski, Gaseous Sourcc UHV Epitaxy Technologies for Wide Bandgap 11-VI Semiconductors Chris G. Vfin de Wulle, Doping of Wide-Band-Gap I1 -VI Compounds -Theory Roberto Cingoluni, Optical Properties of Excitons in ZnSe-Based Quantum Well Heterostructures A . Ishihashi untt A. V. Nurmikko, 11-VI Diode Lasers: A Current View of Device Performance and Issues Suprutik Guha und John Prtruxllo, Defects and Degradation in Wide-Gap 11-VI-based Structures and Light Emitting Devices
Volume 45 Effect of Disorder and Defects in Ion-ImplantedSemiconductors: Electrical and Physiochemical Characterization Heiner Ryssrl, Ion Implantation into Semiconductors: Historical Perspectives You-Nian Wang und Teng-Cui Mu, Electronic Stopping Power for Energetic Ions in Solids Suchiko T. Nakagawu, Solid Effect on the Electronic Stopping of Crystalline Target and Application to Range Estimation G. Miiller, S. Kolbirxr and G. N. Greuvrs, Ion Beams in Amorphous Semiconductor Research Jumanu Bousscy-Said, Sheet and Spreading Resistance Analysis of Ion Implanted and Annealed Sciniconductors M. L. Polignano and G. Qircirolo, Studies of the Stripping Hall Effect in Ion-Implanted Silicon J. Stoemeno.r.Transmission Electron Microscopy Analyses Roberta Nipori and Marco Servidori, Rutherford Backscattering Studies of Ion Implanted Semiconduciors P. Zazmmseil, X-ray DilTraction Techniques
Volume 46 Effect of Disorder and Defects in Ion-Implanted Semiconductors: Optical and Photothermal Characterization M . Fried 7: Lohner trnd J . Gyultri, Ellipsometric Analysis Anronios Seas and Constnntinos Chrisrojides, Transmission and Reflection Spectroscopy on Ion
Implanted Semiconductors Anclreas Othonos nnd Constiintinos Christufdes, Photoluminescence and Raman Scattering of Ion Implanted Semiconductors. Influence of Annealing Cunsluntinos Chrisfqfides, Photomodulated Thermoreflectance Investigation of Implanted Wafers. Annealing Kinetics of Defects U. Zammit, Photothermal Deflection Spectroscopy Characterization of Ion-Implanted and Annealed Silicon Films Andreas Mundeh. A r k f Budirnan and Miguel Vurgas, Photothermal Deep-Level Transient Spectroscopy of Impurities and Defects in Semiconductors R. K u h h and S Churbonneuu, Ion Implantation into Quantum-Well Structures Alexundre M . Myusnikov und Nikoluy N. Grrasimenko, Ion Implantation and Thermal Annealing of 111-V Compound Semiconducting Systems: Some Problems of 111-V Narrow G a p Semiconductors
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
Volume 47
433
Uncooled Infrared Imaging Arrays and Systems
R. G. Busrr und M. P. Tornpsett, Historical Overview P . M! Kruse, Principles of Uncooled Infrared Focal Plane Arrays R. A . CVocid, Monolithic Silicon Microbolometer Arrays C. M . Hanson, Hybrid Pyroelectric-Ferroelectric Bolometer Arrays D.L. Pollu und J . R. Choi,Monolithic Pyroelcctric Bolometer Arrays N . Teranishi, Thermoelectric Uncooled Infrared Focal Plane Arrays M . F. Tornpsetl, Pyroelectric Vidicon 7: W KennJ,,Tunneling Infrared Sensors J . R. Vig, R. L. Filler und Y Kim, Application of Quartz Microresonators to Uncooled Infrared Imaging Arrays P. M! Kruse. Application of Uncooled Monolithic Thermoelectric Linear Arrays to Imaging Radiometers
Volume 48 High Brightness Light Emitting Diodes G. 8.Siringfdlow, Materials Issues in High-Brightness Light-Emitting Diodes M . G. Cruford, Overview of Device issues in High-Brightness Light-Emitting Diodes F . M . Steranku, AlGaAs Red Light Emitting Diodes C. H . Chen, S. A . Stockman, M . J . Peanusky, and C. P. Kuo, O M V P E Growth of AlGaInP for High Efficiency Visible Light-Emitting Diodes F. 4.Kish und R . M . Fletcher, AlGaInP Light-Emitting Diodes M . W Hodapg, Applications for High Brightness Light-Emitting Diodes I . Akusaki und H . Amano, Organometallic Vapor Epitaxy of G a N for High Brightness Blue Light Emitting Diodes S. Nukamuru, Group 111-V Nitride Based Ultraviolet-Blue-Green-Yellow Light-Emitting Diodes and Laser Diodes
Volume 49 Light Emission in Silicon: from Physics to Devices Duvid J. Lockwood, Light Emission in Silicon Grrhtrrd Ahstreiter, Band Gaps and Light Emission in Si/SiGe Atomic Layer Structures Thomas G. Brown trnd Dennis G. HUN, Radiative Isoelectronic Impurities in Silicon and Silicon-Germanium Alloys and Superlattices J. Michel, L. V. C. Axsuli, M. T. Mor.se, und L. C. Kinzerling, Erbium in Silicon Yo,shihiko Kunernitsu, Silicon and Germanium Nanoparticles Philippe M. Fauchet, Porous Silicon: Photoluminescence and Electroluminescent Devices C. Delerue, G. Allan, und M. Lrrnnoa, Theory of Radiative and Nonradiative Processes in Silicon Nanocrystallites Louis Brus, Silicon Polymers and Nanocrystals
Volume 50 Gallium Nitride (GaN) J. I. Pmkove urzd T. D. Moustukus, Introduction S. P. DenBuurs and S. Kel/er. Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) of Group I11 Nitrides W. A . Bryden und T. J. Kistenmucher, Growth of Group I11 -A Nitrides by Reactive Sputtering N . Newmon, Thermochemistry o f 111-N Semiconductors S. J. Peurton und R. J. Shul, Etching of I11 Nitrides S. M. Beduir, Indium-based Nitride Compounds A . Trumpert, 0. Brundt, und K. H. Ploog, Crystal Structure of Group III Nitrides
434
CONTENTS OF VOLUMES IN THISSERIES
H. Morknr, F: Harniluni, and A. Sulvudoi; Electronic and Optical Properties of 111-V Nitride based Quantum Wells and Superlattices K . Doverspike and J. I. Punkuve, Doping in the 111-Nitrides T. Suski und P. Prrlin, High Pressure Studies of Defects and Impurities in Gallium Nitride B. Monrmar, Optical Properties of GaN W. R. L. Lamhrrrhc, Band Structure of thc Group 111 Nitrides N . E. Chrisfmsen und P. Perlin, Phonons and Phase Transitions in G a N S. Nukumuru, Applications of LEDs and LDs 1. Akusaki uwd H . Amano, Lasers J. A . Cooper, Jr., Nonvolatile Random Access Memories in Wide Bandgap Semiconductors
Volume 51A Identification of Defects in Semiconductors George D. Watkins, EPR and ENDOR Studies of Defects in Semiconductors J.-M. Spaeth, Magneto-Optical and Electrical Detection of Paramagnetic Resonance in Semiconductors T. A. Kennedy und E. R. Glusrr, Magnetic Resonance of Epitaxial Layers Detected by Photoluminescence K fl. Chow, B. Nitri, and R. F: Ki.fl. pSR on Muonium in Semiconductors and Its Relation to Hydrogen Kimrno Saurinen, Pekku Hautujiirvi, unil Catherine Corhel, Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy of Defects in Semiconductors R. Jone.7 und P. R. Briddun, The A b f n i t i o Cluster Method and the Dynamics of Defects in Semiconductors
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