Nitrogen-Related Defects in Crystalline Silicon

Defects and impurities play a fundamental role in semiconductors affecting their mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. Nitrogen (N) impurities are almost always present in a silicon (Si) lattice, either unintentionally, due to the growth and processing procedures, or intentionally, as a re...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: E. N. Sgourou, N. Sarlis, A. Chroneos, C. A. Londos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-02-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/4/1631
Description
Summary:Defects and impurities play a fundamental role in semiconductors affecting their mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. Nitrogen (N) impurities are almost always present in a silicon (Si) lattice, either unintentionally, due to the growth and processing procedures, or intentionally, as a result of implantation. Nitrogen forms complexes with intrinsic defects (i.e., vacancies and self-interstitials) as well as with other impurities present in the Si lattice such as oxygen and carbon. It is, therefore, necessary to investigate and understand nitrogen-related defects, especially their structures, their energies, and their interaction with intrinsic point defects and impurities. The present review is focused on nitrogen-related defects (for example N<sub>i</sub>, N<sub>s</sub>, N<sub>i</sub>N<sub>i</sub>, N<sub>i</sub>N<sub>s</sub>, N<sub>s</sub>N<sub>s</sub>); nitrogen–self-interstitial and nitrogen-vacancy-related complexes (for example N<sub>s</sub>V, (N<sub>i</sub>N<sub>i</sub>)Si<sub>i</sub>, (N<sub>s</sub>N<sub>s</sub>)V); nitrogen–oxygen defects (for example NO, NO<sub>2</sub>, N<sub>2</sub>O, N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>); more extended clusters such as V<sub>m</sub>N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>n</sub> (m, n = 1, 2); and nitrogen–carbon defects (for example C<sub>i</sub>N and C<sub>i</sub>NO). Both experimental and theoretical investigations are considered as they provide complementary information.
ISSN:2076-3417