Nitrogen effect on self-interstitial generation in Czochralski silicon revealed by gold diffusion experiments

Gold diffusion in usual Czochralski (Cz) grown Si and in Cz Si doped with n itrogen during growth has been studied. The results presented can be explai ned under the assumption that the substitutional Au-s concentration in the Cz Si samples is effected by the competition between the generation of self -interstitials and their annihilation at some defects. It is found that the Au-s concentration after diffusion at 750 degreesC in Cz Si doped with nit rogen is always less than that in usual Cz Si independent of the thermal hi story of the wafers. A decrease in the Au-s concentration in nitrogen doped crystals can be explained under the assumptions that nitrogen or nitrogen related centers stimulate oxygen precipitation or vacancy annihilation. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.