Generation-annealing kinetics and atomic models of a compensating donor in the surface space charge layer of oxidized silicon

Experimental evidence of the generation of a shallow bulk donor center in the surface space-charge layer of oxidized silicon by exposure to a high dose of 10-keV electron is first summarized. An extensive new study of the generation and annealing kinetics of a similar bulk donor in p-Si metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors subjected to as much as 20 C/cm² avalanche electron injection is then reported. The generation kinetics from 180 to 298 K is first order with a constant total donor concentration of about 1×10 ¹⁷ cm^-3 which is independent of both injection temperature and voltage, and a generation cross section given by 8.6×10^-18 exp(-113 meV/kT) cm ², which increases with injection voltage. Rapid annealing begins at 50°C following a second-order kinetics from 50°C to 150°C with an annealing rate given by 4.2×10^-7 exp(-1.07 eV/kT) cm³/sec. Analyses of the results suggest that a bulk oxygen donor is the origin, and the bimolecular annealing kinetics involves hydrogen bonding of the oxygen donor dangling bonds.