Evolution of hydrogen induced defects during annealing of plasma treated Czochralski silicon

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are used to study the temperature evolution of hydrogen plasma induced defects in silicon. Hydrogen plasma treated n- and p-doped Czochralski silicon samples were annealed at temperatures between 200 and 1000 deg. C for up to 10 h in air. Platelets are formed on {1 1 1} and {1 0 0} crystallographic planes. The structural defects are similar in n-type and p-type material. Small defects at the surface anneal out at temperatures above 400 deg. C and {1 1 1} platelets start to dissolve above 500 deg. C, except in highly p-doped samples where the platelets are stable up to 600 deg. C. The hydrogen penetrates deeper into a low doped than a high doped sample, resulting in platelet formation deeper into the sample. At annealing temperatures above 800 deg. C, an amorphous oxide layer forms at the surface of the sample. New platelets form after 1 h annealing at 1000 deg. C. The roughest surface is found in highly n-doped samples, hydrogenated at high plasma frequency for long exposure times. For high annealing temperatures the roughness decreases