The electrical activity of dislocations which were created in plastically deformed float-zone wafers was investigated by means of deep-level transient spectroscopy, light beam-induced current mapping, and I-V measurements. It was found that these dislocations recombined minority carriers, due to the generation of deep traps which were associated with dangling bonds and the aggregation of point defects. The dislocations also induced a break-down in reverse-biased Al-Si diodes, due to micro-plasmas. Annealing of deformed wafers (1000C, 1h) drastically reduced the deep trap density and suppressed the breakdown in Al-Si diodes; due probably to modification of the point defect atmosphere and to reconstruction of the dislocation core.

J.J.Simon, E.Yakimov, M.Pasquinelli: Journal de Physique III, 1995, 5[9], 1327-36