Publications Details
Numerical methods for determining interstitial oxygen in silicon
The interstitial oxygen (O{sub i}) concentration in Czochralski silicon and the subsequent SiO{sub x} precipitation are important parameters for integrated circuit fabrication. Uncontrolled SiO{sub x} precipitation during processing can create detrimental mechanical and electrical effects that contribute to poor performance. An inability to consistently and accurately measure the initial O{sub i} concentration in heavily doped silicon has led to contradictory results regarding the effects of dopant type and concentration on SiO{sub x} precipitation. The authors have developed a software package for reliably determining and comparing O{sub i} in heavily doped silicon. The SiFTIR{copyright} code implements three independent oxygen analysis methods in a single integrated package. Routine oxygen measurements are desirable over a wide range of silicon resistivities, but there has been confusion concerning which of the three numerical methods is most suitable for the low resistivity portion of the continuum. A major strength of the software is an ability to rapidly produce results for all three methods using only a single Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum as input. This ability to perform three analyses on a single data set allows a detailed comparison of the three methods across the entire range of resistivities in question. Integrated circuit manufacturers could use the enabling technology provided by SiFTIR{copyright} to monitor O{sub i} content. Early detection of O{sub i} using this diagnostic could be beneficial in controlling SiO{sub x} precipitation during integrated circuit processing.