Hydrogen induced silicon surface layer cleavage

Physical mechanisms of hydrogen induced silicon surface layer cleavage were investigated using a combination of microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. The evolution of the silicon cleavage phenomenon is recorded by a series of microscopic images. The underlying hydrogen profiles under (between 250 and 500 °C) annealing are characterized by secondary-ion-mass spectroscopy and hydrogen forward scattering experiments. An idea gas law model calculation suggests that internal pressure of molecular hydrogen filled microcavities is in the range of Giga-Pascal, high enough to break silicon crystal bond. A dose threshold, which prevents cleavage, is observed at 1.6×10¹⁷ cm^-2 for 40 kV hydrogen implantation. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.