Hydrogen gettering within processed oxygen-implanted silicon

Hydrogen gettering by implantation-disturbed buried layers in oxygen-implanted silicon (Si:O, prepared by O2+ implantation at energy 200 keV and doses 1014 cm-2 and 1017 cm-2) was investigated after annealing of Si:O at up to 1570 K, also under enhanced hydrostatic pressure, up to 1.2 GPa. Depending on processing conditions, buried layers containing SiO2-x clusters and/or precipitates were formed. To produce Si:O,H, Si:O samples were subsequently treated in RF hydrogen plasma. As determined by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, hydrogen was accumulated at the sample surface and within implantation-disturbed areas. It was still present in Si:O,H (D=1017 cm–2) even after subsequent annealing at up to 873 K. Hydrogen accumulation within disturbed areas of Si:O as well as of SOI can be used for recognition of defects in such structures.