A 3‐state defect model for light‐induced degradation in boron‐doped float‐zone silicon. Issue 3 (10th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sperber, David; Herguth, Axel; Hahn, Giso
• Is Part Of: Physica status solidi. Volume 11:Issue 3(2017)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-01-10
• Subjects: float‐zone silicon -- light‐induced degradation -- charge carrier lifetime -- defects -- boron -- doping; Solid state physics -- Periodicals; 530.4105
• DOI: 10.1002/pssr.201600408
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1862-6254

Abstract

Abstract : We report on a light‐induced bulk defect activation and subsequent deactivation in boron doped float‐zone silicon that can be described by a 3‐state model. During treatment at elevated temperature and illumination, a sample first converts from an initial high lifetime state into a degraded low lifetime state and then shows a recovery reaction leading to a third high lifetime state that is then stable under degradation conditions. Furthermore, it is shown that reverse reactions into the initial state appear to be possible both from the degraded as well as the regenerated state. An injection dependent analysis of lifetime data yields a defect capture cross section ratio of ∼20 suggesting a positively charged defect. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim) Abstract : Minority charge carrier lifetime in silicon can be severely reduced by light induced degradation (LID), posing a problem for many applications. Sperber et al. show that high quality boron‐doped float‐zone silicon may be prone to LID, too. However, also a regeneration of lifetime is observed and different reaction pathways are found. As a result, a 3‐state model is proposed for the description of the defect causing the degradation.