The effect of germanium doping on the evolution of defects in silicon

In the present work infrared (IR) spectroscopy measurements are taken on Ge-doped silicon samples irradiated by 2 MeV electrons to study the thermal evolution of VO defects and VO2 complexes upon annealing. The annealing behavior of these radiation defects was found to be complicated in the presence of Ge. The main reaction VO + Oi → VO2 leading to annealing of VO defects and formation of VO2 complexes turned out to be sensitive to concentrations of Ge impurity atoms in Czochralski grown silicon. These processes are discussed in some detail. Moreover, the rates of annealing reactions associated with self-interstitials can also be enhanced in silicon materials doped with Ge. The effects observed are most likely related to elastic strains due to Ge impurity atoms in the silicon lattice.