CREATION OF P-B INTERFACE DEFECTS IN THERMAL SI SIO2 THROUGH ANNEALING/

The generation of paramagnetic interfacial P-b defects (Si = Si-3) in standard thermal (111)Si/SiO2 by thermal processing has been studied i n the temperature range T = 480-1135 degrees C. Besides consolidating the well known dissociation (activation) process (prominent from appro ximately 460 degrees C onward) of pre-existing HPb entities, electron spin resonance (ESR) newly reveals the existence of an irreversible P- b creation mechanism initiating from approximately 640 degrees C onwar d. The created P-b density N-c increases monotonically with T, with no trend for levelling off up to 1135 degrees C, where N-c similar to 1. 3 x 10(13) cm(-2). The crucial creation step has been isolated as post -oxidation thermal cycling in O-free ambient. The process constitutes thermally-induced interface degradation, the data providing first atom ic defect information, i.e. P-b creation. It demonstrates successful a pplication of ESR in probing interface degradation.