Electrophysical characteristics of near-surface layers in p-Si crystals with sputtered Al films and subjected to elastic deformation

TL;DR

This study investigates how sputtered aluminum films induce elastic deformation in p-Si crystals' near-surface layers, affecting defect gettering and electrical properties, with implications for semiconductor surface engineering.

Contribution

It demonstrates that Al film deposition causes elastic deformation in p-Si surfaces, leading to defect gettering, and provides a method to estimate defect capture depth based on dislocation interaction energy.

Findings

Deformation induced by Al film affects near-surface defect distribution.

Defect gettering is observed under elastic uniaxial strain.

Maximum defect capture depth is calculated from interaction energy.

Abstract

The deposition of Al film onto the (111) surface of a p-Si crystal was shown to induce a deformation in the near-surface layer of the latter. Provided that the crystal strain is elastic and uniaxial, the gettering of defects in the near-surface layer is observed, which is confirmed by a change in the dependence of the specimen resistance on the elastic strain magnitude. The maximum depth of the defect capture has been calculated on the basis of the energy of interaction between the deformed layer and dislocations.