Effects of Water on the Aging and Radiation Response of MOS Devices

Batyrev, Iskander G.; Rodgers, Martin; Fleetwood, D.M.; Schrimpf, R.D.; Pantelides, S. T.

doi:10.1109/tns.2006.884787

Cited by 28 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Microscopic explanations for the above observations are lacking. Finally, the robust dissolution of H 2 O in silicabased network glasses is in sharp contrast to the observation that crystalline forms of silica, e.g., quartz, absorb minimal amounts of water, mainly at defects [1,9,10].There exist a few theoretical papers that have contributed to understanding aspects of water incorporation in silica [8,11,12]. In particular, it has been found that incorporation of interstitial H 2 O is endothermic for quartz.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Technological implications abound within the glass industry and in microelectronics. In addition, the presence of water in optical fibers and in thermal gate oxides in transistors significantly alters the response of these devices to ionizing radiation [4,7,8].Extensive experimental investigations, using infrared and NMR spectroscopy, have established that some water molecules entering a silica glass remain intact, while others interact with the network and form silanol (Si-O-H) groups [1,5]. In fused silica and aluminosilicate glasses [1,2,5,6], the silanol concentration reaches a plateau, while the concentration of intact interstitial H 2 O molecules is observed to increase unabated.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…X-ray absorption studies of silica glasses containing a range of silanol concentrations have revealed a correlation between Si-O-H concentration and average Si-Si distance [3]. In thermally grown oxides (Si-SiO 2 structures), the presence of water can lead to a short-term suppression and a long-term enhancement of the usual radiation-induced interface defect density [4,8]. Microscopic explanations for the above observations are lacking.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, it has been found that incorporation of interstitial H 2 O is endothermic for quartz. In amorphous SiO 2 , exothermic incorporation of water as geminate silanol groups has been found in special cases [8,12], but the topological conditions for such incorporation have not been identified. In this Letter, we report extensive new first-principles calculations for the reactions of water with amorphous silica networks.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Reactions of Water Molecules in Silica-Based Network Glasses

et al. 2008

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Given that H(2)O dissolves minimally in quartz, the mechanism for the ubiquitous dissolution of H(2)O in silica glasses has been a long-standing puzzle. We report first-principles calculations in prototype silica glass networks and identify the ring topologies that allow the exothermic dissolution of H(2)O as geminate Si-O-H groups. The topological constraints of these reactions explain both the observed saturation of Si-O-H concentrations and the observed increase in the average Si-Si distance. In addition, calculations of H(2)O and Si-O-H dissociation account for the observed response to radiation by wet thermally grown SiO(2).

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Reactions of Water Molecules in Silica-Based Network Glasses

et al. 2008

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…7 Second, the amorphous SiO 2 film hosts a range of local environments providing low-energy reaction pathways for H 2 O dissociation. 8,32 Third, dissociated H 2 O species react with the Si-SiO 2 interface 33-35 creating and deactivating electronic defects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Damp and dry heat degradation of thermal oxide passivation of p+ silicon

Thomson

Gardner

McIntosh³

et al. 2014

Journal of Applied Physics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Thermal SiO2 passivates both moderately and heavily doped silicon surfaces irrespective of the dopant type, which is advantageous in high-efficiency solar cell designs. Commercial photovoltaic cells are submitted to accelerated ageing tests, such as damp-heat exposure, to ensure they maintain their performance for at least 20 yr. We find damp-heat exposure causes a severe and rapid degradation of thermal SiO2 passivation on p+ silicon surfaces. The reaction is so severe that the diffused-region recombination in the degraded state is limited by the diffusion of minority carriers to the Si–SiO2 interface not the density of interface defects Dit. Certainly, this effect renders the thermal-oxide passivation useless if employed on a solar cell. To study the cause of the degradation, we also test the effects of storage in dry heat and room ambient conditions. Examination of the rate of degradation in the tested storage conditions in comparison with modelled diffusion of moisture in SiO2, we find a significant correlation between the time dependent J0e and moisture supplied to the interface, leading us to the conclusion that moisture ingression and subsequent reaction at the SiO2–Si interface are the cause of both damp-heat and room- ambient degradation.

show abstract

Damp‐heat degradation and repair of oxide‐passivated silicon

McIntosh

Dai

2011

Physica Status Solidi (a)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SiO2‐passivated Si degrades when exposed to a ‘damp‐heat’ atmosphere of 85% relative humidity and 85 °C. We find the effective surface recombination velocity at the SiO2/Si interface of phosphorus‐diffused (111) Si to increase from 2200 to 11 000 cm/s after 7 days of damp‐heat exposure. This degradation is of concern to many high‐efficiency solar cells, which are manufactured from SiO2‐passivated Si with phosphorus‐diffused (111) facets at the front surface, and which must withstand 1000 h of damp‐heat exposure during reliability testing. Our experiments indicate that the damp‐heat exposure causes (i) absorption of H2O into the SiO2, (ii) an increase in the concentration of H at the SiO2/Si interface, (iii) a latent source of degradation that continues after samples are returned to room conditions, and (iv) SiO2/Si interface damage that can be repaired by a short anneal at 300 °C in N2. The results of these experiments are discussed in relation to the various mechanisms that might underlie damp‐heat degradation of SiO2/Si interfaces.

show abstract

Effects of Water on the Aging and Radiation Response of MOS Devices

Cited by 28 publications

References 19 publications

Reactions of Water Molecules in Silica-Based Network Glasses

Reactions of Water Molecules in Silica-Based Network Glasses

Damp and dry heat degradation of thermal oxide passivation of p+ silicon

Damp‐heat degradation and repair of oxide‐passivated silicon

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About