MAPPING OF THE NONEQUILIBRIUM CARRIER LIFETIME IN SILICON PLATES WITHAN ALUMINUM STRIP STRUCTURE

A contactless nondestructive microwave relaxometry method was used to determine the spatial distribution (with a resolution of almost-equal- to 0.2 mm) of the effective nonequilibrium carrier lifetime in a batch of silicon plates with a deposited aluminum strip structure (with a p eriod of 2.9 mm), subjected to recrystallization of an Al-Si alloy in a temperature gradient and, finally, to internal gettering. After recr ystallization the lifetime was governed by defects associated with alu minum across the whole surface area of a plate, while gettering reduce d significantly the influence of defects.