UNDETECTABILITY OF THE P-B1 POINT-DEFECT AS AN INTERFACE STATE IN THERMAL (100)SI SIO2/

The electrical activity of the electron-spin-resonance-active interfac ial point defects P-b0 and P-b1 (unpaired Si bonds) has been examined on standard thermal (100)Si/SiO2. After elimination of the H-passivati on factor, this has been achieved through combination of electrical an d ESR analysis on common suites of samples exhibiting a distinct contr olled variation, both relatively and absolutely, of the P-b0 and P-b1 densities. Unlike initial inference, it is found that P-b1 is electric ally inactive as a degrading interface state; hence it has no direct e lectrical influence in Si/SiO2-based device physics. All P-b0 defects, however, are found to be electrically active, putting these EPR-activ e defects in a unique position.