Papers by Author: K. Irmscher

Abstract: Photoluminescence from excitons bound to shallow donors or acceptors was studied in Al-, As-, B-, Ga- and P-doped Ge. Excitons bound to Al and B acceptors were identified for the first time. The dissociation energy of the excitons satisfies Haynes rule and changes with a factor of 0.1 linearly with the ionization energy of the dopants.

Abstract: Nitrogen doped 4H-SiC epitaxial layers grown by hot-wall chemical vapor deposition were investigated by deep level transient spectroscopy after irradiation with 6 MeV electrons or 1.6 MeV protons. The influence of silane and propane flows used during the epilayers growth on the behaviour of radiation induced EH6,7 levels is studied. Samples grown under different conditions were investigated: 1 sample grown in steps of different C/Si ratio obtained by changing the propane flow only; 1 sample grown in steps of different C/Si ratio obtained by changing the silane flow only; 2 samples grown with a C/Si ratio of 1.5 but with different flows of propane and silane. These investigations revealed that the low thermal stability of EH6,7 (the defects anneal out at temperatures as low as 750K) is due to the magnitude of silane flow used during the growth irrespective of the C/Si ratio. A possible structure of the EH6,7 defect is discussed.

Abstract: Single-crystalline 3C-SiC epitaxial layers were grown on on-axis Si (001) substrates by low-pressure hot-wall chemical vapour deposition. Aluminium from a trimethylaluminium (TMA) source was used for p-type doping. The atomic Al and carrier concentrations in the layers were determined as a function of the partial pressure of the TMA source gas. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), Hall-effect measurements at room temperature and four-point electrical resistivity method were applied to measure the atomic and electrically active Al concentrations. The crystalline perfection of the layers was characterized by high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD). At TMA-partial pressures ranging from 510-7 mbar up to 1.510-4 mbar corresponding aluminium concentrations from 21015 cm-3 up to 1.31019 cm-3 were measured in the epitaxial layers. On increasing the Al concentration from 1x1017 cm-3 to 1x1019 cm-3 the layer electrical resistivity decreases from 17 cm to 0.8 cm, while no influence on the crystalline quality of the layers was observed. The average full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the rocking curve for a 5µm thick 3C-SiC layer is about 500 arcsec. With increasing layer thickness (up to 16 µm) the FWHM of the rocking curve decreases to about 300 arcsec.

Abstract: Silicon crystals, doped with moderate concentration of magnesium or lithium, have been grown for application as optically pumped donor silicon lasers for the terahertz spectral region. The pedestal growth technique accompanied with axial-loaded dopant pills enabled manufacturing of large silicon crystals with a homogeneous donor distribution in the range from 1014 to 1016 cm-3, as required for intracenter silicon lasers. Terahertz-range photoluminescence from the grown crystals has been observed.

Abstract: Nitrogen doped 4H-SiC epitaxial layers grown by hot-wall chemical vapor deposition were investigated by Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy after irradiation with 6 MeV electrons at room temperature. This study is focusing on the influence of nitrogen doping and C/Si ratio on the behaviour of the Z1,2 and EH6,7 levels which occur in already as-grown material but are substantially enhanced by electron and ion irradiation. It was found that both the Z1,2 and EH6,7 concentrations increase with both the nitrogen doping and the C/Si ratio. However, while the Z1,2 concentration increases during post-irradiation thermal treatment the opposite holds for the EH6,7 level especially in silicon rich samples. On the basis of these results, the influence of carbon and nitrogen on the formation of the Z1,2 complex is reconfirmed and a possible identity of the EH6,7 defect is discussed.

Abstract: The structural and electrical properties of as grown multicrystalline (mc) solar silicon have been characterized with special emphasis on the ingot's edge regions. For this purpose a vertical cross section of an mc-Si Bridgman ingot was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), laser scattering tomography (LST), lateral photovoltage scanning (LPS), infrared microscopy and microwave detected photoconductivity decay (&PCD). Images of the distribution of dislocations, grain boundaries, precipitates, impurities (O, N, C) and the minority charge carrier lifetime were obtained, partly differentiating the defects by their electrical activity. In particular the LPS method displays dopant striations indicating the shape of the phase boundary. Deviations of the phase boundary from a slightly convex shape in the middle of the ingot to a concave one in the vicinity of the side walls could be observed. The existence of an horizontal temperature gradient deduced from this shape is the reason for convection in the melt. The influence on the concentration profiles of interstitial oxygen and the correlation with the minority charge carrier lifetime are discussed.

Abstract: Planar defects have been found in nitrogen doped 2" 4H-SiC crystals grown on off-axis seeds. The doping level was 1×1019cm-3, which is below the critical one for the thermally activated cubic stacking fault formation in the 4H matrix. Planar defects in the doped region are nucleated on the whole seed surface outside the growth facet. They are coexisting 15R and 6H lamellas of unitcell height as revealed by means of luminescence and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. These inclusions are preferably formed at the rim of the growth facet, where polytype change occurs after switching off the nitrogen flow during growth.