The transport of Ni atoms through P-doped [100] single crystal wafers of Czochralski material was measured at between 450 and 540C, using Rutherford back-scattering techniques. It was found that the product of the solubility and diffusivity could be described by:

DS(atoms/cm-s) = 8 x 1022exp[-2.16(eV)/kT]

Independent measurements of the solubility were made using neutron activation methods after annealing at 500C. These yielded a value of 1017atoms/cm3. By assuming a cluster model for interstitial Ni, with substitutional P and possibly O, it was deduced that the Ni diffusivity was described by:

D(cm2/s) = 6.3 x 10-4exp[-0.76(eV)/kT]

It was concluded that the binding model explained the large Ni solubility.

Low-Temperature Diffusion and Solubility of Ni in P-Doped Czochralski-Grown Si. R.D.Thompson, D.Gupta, K.N.Tu: Physical Review B, 1985, 33[4], 2636-41

Table 72

Diffusivity of Ni in Amorphous Si