H-COMPLEXED OXYGEN VACANCY IN SIO2 - ENERGY-LEVEL OF A NEGATIVELY CHARGED STATE

The defects generated in SiO2 during irradiation with energetic (10 eV ) photons were found to trap electrons at a level 3.1 eV below the oxi de conduction bond, The electron spin resonance data and the behavior upon hydrogen passivation indicate that the optically active state may be ascribed to a H-complexed oxygen vacancy in SiO2. The observed inj ection of electrons to these traps from Si advances the revealed defec ts as the possible origin of the degradation-induced electrical conduc tion of thin SiO2 layers. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S00 03-6951(97)03752-2].