Tem Observation Of Grown-In Defects In CZ-Si Crystals And Their Secco Etching Properties

Grown-in defects detected by IR laser scattering tomography (LSTDs) in Czochralski-grown Si crystals were identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with a special defect positioning technique. The basic structure of the LSTD was revealed to be a composite of two or three incomplete octahedral voids with the 100–300nm total size. The TEM images of the defect showed existence of 2∼4nm-thick walls surrounding the voids. These thin-walls are considered to be made of oxide, SiOx. These LSTDs are indeed dominant grown-in defect species in most of the commercial CZ-Si walers. The LSTD after 1200°C oxidation was also observed by TEM. The resulting image shows that the defect changed from void to filled oxide precipitate by the high temperature heat treatment. On the other hand, in very slowly pulled crystals with ∼0.4mm/min rate, interstitial type dislocation loops were observed as major defect species. Non-agitated Secco etching of these grown-in defects delineates “flow patterns” (FPs) or pits without the flow patterns. The FP forming property is shown to disappear by oxidation at temperature above 1150°C, while the defect itself remains stable. This implies that the grown-in defects lose their chemical properties to form FPs by the high-temperature oxidation. It is further revealed that the grown-in defects, which once lost the FP forming property by the high-temperature oxidation, can form FPs again by an intentional Cu contamination. Thus a possible FP formation factor is Cu decoration at the grown-in defect site. Defect formation model of the as-grown twin-type LSTD is also proposed.