Copper contamination behavior is studied, depending on the pH level, c
onductivity type P or N of a silicon substrate, and contamination meth
od of copper. If the pH level of a copper containing solution is adjus
ted by using ammonia, copper atoms and ammonia molecules produce coppe
r ion complexes. Accordingly, the amount of copper adsorption on the s
ubstrate surface is decreased. When N-type silicon substrates are cont
aminated by means of copper containing solutions, copper atoms on the
surfaces diffuse into bulk crystal even at room temperature. But for P
-type silicon substrates, copper atoms are transferred into bulk cryst
al only after high temperature annealing. In the case of silicon subst
rates contaminated by contact with metallic copper, no copper atom dif
fusion into bulk crystal was observed. The above mentioned copper cont
amination behavior can be explained by the charge transfer interaction
of copper atoms with silicon substrates.