A Comparative Study of the EBIC Contrast and Gettering Efficiency of the Tilt Boundaries Σ= 25, Σ= 13 and Σ= 9 in Silicon Bicrystals
Abstract
Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) measurements have been performed on Σ= 25, Σ= 13 and Σ= 9 silicon bicrystals, aiming at the study of the recombining activity of nickel precipitates in these materials, together with a comparative study of the gettering efficiencies of the related Grain Boundaries (GBs). The various aspects of the EBIC contrasts such as their strength and nature (uniform, uniform and dotted or dotted only) have been correlated to the microstructure of the interfaces, which govern the size and distribution of the NiSi2 precipitates. On the other hand, the appearance and the extent of a denuded zone on either side of the GB have been both associated with the gettering efficiency of each of GB-type, which was found to account for the corresponding free-energy of the GB as theoretically calculated in the literature.
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