Multi‐frequency electron spin resonance study of inherent Si dangling bond defects at the thermal (211)Si/SiO2 interface. Issue 11 (8th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Iacovo, S.; Stesmans, A.; Pizzini, Sergio; Kissinger, Gudrun
• Is Part Of: Physica status solidi. Volume 11:Issue 11/12(2014)
• Page Start: 1589
• Page End: 1592
• Publication Date: 2014-08-08
• Subjects: Solid state physics -- Congresses; Solid state physics -- Periodicals; Solid state physics; Conference proceedings; Periodicals; 530.41
• DOI: 10.1002/pssc.201400071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1862-6351

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Multifrequency low temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) studies were carried out to atomically assess inherent point defects at the thermal 'higher index' (211)Si/SiO₂ interface. This reveals, as dominant imperfections, P_b‐type centers (generic entity Si₃≡Si, the dot representing an unpaired sp³‐like hybrid) occurring in densities of ∼1 × 10¹³ cm^–2 for oxidation temperatures ∼400 °C. On the basis of the pertinent ESR characteristics, the inherent basic defect is typified as the P_b0⁽²¹¹⁾ variant, resembling closely the P_b0 center in standard (100)Si/SiO₂. At the higher index (211)Si/SiO₂ interface, these defects predominantly pertain to defected Si atoms located at (111)‐face terraces. Combination of angular and frequency (ν) dependent studies show the P_b0⁽²¹¹⁾ peak‐to‐peak line width ΔB_pp to be composed of a residual width (ν→0) of 2.2 ± 0.1 G, to which dipolar broadening contributes an essential part, and a substantial inhomogeneous broadening component due to g distribution, predominantly in g_⊥, induced by non‐uniform interface strain –also similar to the P_b0⁽¹⁰⁰⁾ properties. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)</p> </abstract>