Silicon-wafer-surface damage revealed by surface photovoltage measurements

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.330126· OSTI ID:7085391

Goodman, A M

Anomalous results of surface photovoltage (SPV) measurements on Si wafers are shown to be associated with a damaged region beneath the illuminated surface of the wafer being measured. The anomaly is a concave-upward curvature of the I/sub 0/(..cap alpha../sup -1/) plot with an r/sup 2/ value, derived from linear regression analysis, less than the normally observed minimum value (approx.0.98). Removal of the damaged region by an appropriate etching procedure allows subsequent SPV measurements whose results are substantially free of the previously observed anomaly. The qualitative character of the anomaly can be reproduced by a simple theoretical model in which only one effect of the damage is considered; this effect is a diminished quantum efficiency for hole-electron pair generation by photon absorption in the damaged region. The results suggest the use of SPV measurements as a test procedure for revealing the presence of surface damage in Si wafers.

• Research Organization: RCA Laboratories, Princeton, New Jersey 08540
• OSTI ID: 7085391
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 53:11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
SILICON
DAMAGE
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
ABSORPTION
CONFIGURATION
ELECTRONS
ETCHING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HOLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PHOTONS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SURFACES
THEORETICAL DATA
DATA
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FERMIONS
INFORMATION
LEPTONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MATHEMATICS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOELECTROMAGNETIC EFFECTS
SEMIMETALS
STATISTICS
SURFACE FINISHING
360605* - Materials- Radiation Effects