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The results of a series of experiments are reported in which constant, controlled levels of in-plane stress were applied in sim to oxidizing (111) silicon substrates. Electron spin resonance measurements show that the properties of inherently incorporated electrically active P[sub b] defects at the (111)Si/SiO[sub 2] interface are affected; among others, tensile stresses decrease the number of P[sub b]s, while compressive stresses have the opposite effect. The results are in agreement with the generally accepted relationship between P[sub b]-defect generation and interfacial mismatch (stress). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural degradation of thermal SiO[sub 2] on (100)Si under isochronal vacuum annealing in the range T[sub an] = 950 °C-1250 °C was monitored by electron spin resonance (ESR) in terms of point defect creation, including E′[sub γ], E′[sub δ], EX and the elusive predominant degradation-center S. Depth profiling after heating at 1200 °C shows that the S centers predominantly reside near the oxide borders, generally in anticorrelation with the E′[sub γ] distribution. The resulting anisotropic demagnetization effect has enabled inference of the S center susceptibility. As to the nature of the S center, an observed weak hyperfine structure may comply with the S center being of the type Si[sub n]O[sub 3-n]≡Si[sup ·] either the single n = 1 or a mix of both the n = 1,2 variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]