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Defect-defect hole transfer and the identity of border traps in SiO[sub 2] films

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)
; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1349 (United States)
  2. France Telecom/Centre National d'Etudes des Telecommunications, Boite Postale 98, 38243 Meylan (France)

We have found evidence for hole-transfer events between oxygen-vacancy-related defects in thermal SiO[sub 2] films selectively injected with holes using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and capacitance-voltage measurements. We find that hole injection into SiO[sub 2] films reveals two types of EPR centers: oxygen-vacancy-related [ital E][sub [delta]][sup [prime]] and [ital E][sub [gamma]][sup [prime]] centers; both centers are positively charged. Upon annealing the Si/SiO[sub 2] structures at room temperature, the [ital E][sub [delta]][sup [prime]] defect transfers its hole to a neutral oxygen-vacancy (O[sub 3][equivalent to]Si---Si[equivalent to]O[sub 3]) site forming the classic [ital E][sub [gamma]][sup [prime]] center. Electrically, we observe a concomitant growth in the border-trap density, suggesting that some of the transfer-created [ital E][sub [gamma]][sup [prime]] centers may be the microscopic entities responsible for the border traps. These results constitute spectroscopic evidence that hole transfer between defect sites can occur over extremely long time scales (hours) in SiO[sub 2] films.

DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
7180494
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 50:19; ISSN 0163-1829; ISSN PRBMDO
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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