Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-t6hkb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-12T06:34:16.008Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

On the Impact of Metal Impurities on the Carrier Lifetime in N-type Germanium

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2011

Eugenijus Gaubas ,
Jan Vanhellemont ,
Eddy Simoen ,
Antoon Theuwis  and
Paul Clauws
Eugenijus Gaubas
Affiliation:
Institute of Materials Science and Applied Research, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
Jan Vanhellemont
Affiliation:
Department of Solid State Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S1, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium
Eddy Simoen
Affiliation:
IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium
Antoon Theuwis
Affiliation:
Umicore Electro-Optic Materials, Watertorenstraat 33, Olen, B-2250, Belgium Present: AMI Semiconductor Belgium BVBA, Westerring 15, Oudenaarde, B-9700, Belgium
Paul Clauws
Affiliation:
Department of Solid State Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S1, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium
Get access

Abstract

The impact of metallic impurities on the carrier lifetime in n-Ge is studied using microwave reflection and absorption techniques. Co, Fe, Ti, Ni and Cr are introduced by ion implantation followed by a thermal anneal and quenching to room temperature. Excess carrier decay transients are examined by microwave reflection and absorption probing after pulsed light excitation. A detailed analysis allows to evaluate the ratio of the capture cross-sections for minority and majority carriers revealing an acceptor-like character of the metal induced traps. Cross-sectional lifetime measurements show an U-shaped depth distribution with the lowest lifetimes in the bulk of the wafer. The lifetime results are correlated with those of deep level transient spectroscopy in order to clarify the properties of the dominant metal related recombination centres. Fe and Co are the most effective lifetime killers in n-Ge while Cr has the least influence.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 994: Symposium F – Semiconductor Defect Engineering–Materials, Synthetic Structures and Devices II , 2007 , 0994-F09-06
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Bracht, H., Stolwijk, N.A., and Mehrer, H.. Phys. Rev. B 52, 16542 (1995).Google Scholar
2. Khanna, V.K.. Progress in Quantum Electronics 29, 59 (2005).Google Scholar
3. Vanhellemont, J. and Simoen, E.. J. Electrochem. Soc., in press.Google Scholar
4. Rose, A.. Concepts in photoconductivity and allied problems. Interscience Publishers, John Wiley & Sons, New York-London, 1963.Google Scholar
5. Lashkarev, V., Lyubchenko, A., and Sheynkman, M.. Non-equilibrium processes in photoconductors, Naukova Dumka, Kiev, 1981 (in Russian).Google Scholar
6. Blakemore, J.S.. Semiconductor statistics. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1962.Google Scholar
7. Gaubas, E. and Vanhellemont, J.. Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 142106 (2006).Google Scholar
8. Gaubas, E., Bauža, M., Uleckas, A., and Vanhellemont, J.. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 9, 781 (2006).Google Scholar
9. Forment, S., Vanhellemont, J., Clauws, P., Steenbergen, J. Van, Sioncke, S., Meuris, M., Simoen, E., and Theuwis, A.. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 9, 559 (2006).Google Scholar
10. Opsomer, K., Simoen, E., Claeys, C., Maex, K., Detavernier, C., Meirhaeghe, R.L. Van, Forment, S., and Clauws, P.. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 9, 554 (2006).Google Scholar
11. Baliga, B.J.. Power semiconductor devices. PWS Publishing Company, Boston, 1996.Google Scholar