Hydrogen redistribution and void formation in hydrogen plasma treated Czochralski silicon

Raman spectroscopy, spreading resistance probe (SRP) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) studies were carried out on H-plasma treated and annealed p-type Czochralski (Cz) Si. The formation of voids filled with hydrogen molecules was observed by Raman spectroscopy after plasma hydrogenation. The Raman and ERDA measurements show that molecular hydrogen can be released from nanovoids at 600 °C which leads to the formation of empty voids. ERDA and SEM investigations show that after the hydrogen plasma treatment the formation of voids filled by hydrogen occurs at a depth of about 400 nm. SRP measurements show, that at 400 °C post-hydrogenation annealing for 10-60 min a fast diffusion of hydrogen into the bulk occurs. This leads to the hydrogen enhanced thermal donor formation and therefore to a carrier profiles modification up to a depth of a few hundred microns. The Raman measurements show that the molecular hydrogen can not be released from nanovoids at 400°C which is in good agreement with ERDA data. Our investigations give a method for the low-temperature, low-cost modification of die Cz Si substrates which leads to die formation of a carrier gradient in die bulk, to surface structuring and to voids formation in the subsurface region.