Method for revealing agglomerated intrinsic point defects in semiconductor crystals
AssigneeMEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
InventorsLuciano Mule'Stagno, Robert J. Falster
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for revealing agglomerated intrinsic point defect. The method comprising coating a sample with a metal capable of decorating agglomerated intrinsic point defects, heat-treating the coated sample to decorate any agglomerated intrinsic point defects, cooling the sample, etching the surface of the cooled sample without delineating the decorated agglomerated intrinsic point defects and etching the etched surface with a delineating etchant to reveal the decorated intrinsic point defects.
Claims15
A process for revealing agglomerated intrinsic point defects in a single crystal silicon sample, the process comprising:
- coating a surface of the sample with a composition containing a metal capable of decorating agglomerated intrinsic point defects;
- heat-treating the coated sample in an inert atmosphere to diffuse the metal into the coated sample to decorate any agglomerated intrinsic point defects;
- cooling said heat-treated sample;
- etching the surface of said cooled sample with a first etchant to remove residues and precipitants without delineating the decorated agglomerated intrinsic point defects;
- and,
- etching the etched surface with a delineating etchant to reveal the decorated agglomerated intrinsic point defects.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.