Oxygen Solubilities in Si Melt:Influence of Sb Addition

Abstract

The oxygen solubility in liquid silicon, both undoped and Sb-doped, in equilibrium contact with SiO 2 has been analyzed after quenching by the SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy) technique in order to investigate the influence of antimony addition on the oxygen solubility. It has been shown that oxygen solubility in undoped silicon melt increases from 2.08×10 18 to 2.29×10 18 atoms/cm 3 upon temperature increases from 1447 to 1542°C. The influence of antimony addition in the same temperature range was twofold. Addition of less than 1 at.% Sb caused practically no change in oxygen solubility, while addition of more than 1.3 at.% Sb appreciably increased both its level and its temperature coefficient.