Crystal-related defects evolution during thin epitaxial layer growth on silicon wafers

In this paper, the effects of thin epi layer deposition treatment on formation, growth or dissolution of traditionally known defects like oxygen precipitates or OISF and recently investigated defects, related to vacancy or self-interstitial (COPs, D-defects, I-defects) aggregates, are presented and discussed. Several characterization techniques, integrated in order to obtain a complete picture of the material properties, have been applied on substrates and epitaxial wafers. Samples have been chosen along the crystal axis to allow the study of the influence of growth thermal history on substrate defect stability at the high temperature of epi deposition treatments. The role of substrate oxygen content and dopant concentration in affecting defect formation and dissolution during epi layer growth are included in the discussion. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.