EPR proof of the negatively charged acceptor state Zn- in silicon

The electronic properties of Zn in monocrystalline silicon were studied by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). In high-ohmic p- and n-type Si doped with Zn two new line sets were observed. One of them show the cha racteristic behavior of the 1/2<-> - 1/2 and 3/2<-> - 3/2 transitions of a Gamma(8) state in tetrahedral symmetry and can be detected for all sample o rientations. The line positions of this set can be well described with a sp in Hamiltonian for S = 3/2 including the linear and cubic Zeeman-interactio n and the fitted parameters \g\ = 1.1749 +/- 0.0005 and \f\ = 0.0402 +/- 0. 0005 (g.f > 0). For magnetic field directions around B parallel to<100>, a second line set consisting of seven additional lines were detected which ca n be described by the spin transitions within a coupled (Gamma(7)-Gamma(8)) -ground state manifold. Based on the analysis of the experimental data this spectrum has been identified as arising from the negative charge state of the isolated substitutional Zn-s(-) in silicon. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.