Oxygen precipitation in Czochralski-grown silicon wafers during hydrogen annealing

Abstract

In studying the effect of the ramping process on oxygen precipitation in Czochralski-grown silicon wafers in hydrogen annealing, we have found that the oxygen precipitate density in the bulk region depends on the ramping-up rate at temperatures between 900 and 1200 °C. Few oxygen defects are observed when the ramping-up rate is 30 °C/min or more. Decreasing the ramping-up rate exponentially increases the oxygen precipitate density. The nucleation for oxygen precipitates can therefore be controlled by adjusting the ramping-up rate during hydrogen annealing.