Platinum and gold diffusion monitor vacancy profiles induced into silicon wafers by aluminum alloying

Abstract In this paper, we use the gold and platinum marker method, to confirm our preliminary finding that aluminum indiffusion into Si crystal during so‐called “aluminum gettering” (AlG) can result in the injection of vacancies into Si crystal. Depth profiles of Au in p‐type Si have been studied by the DLTS after diffusion at 850 °C for 2 h prior to and subsequent to AlG. The donor concentration attributed to Au_s is about two orders of magnitude higher compared with that measured in samples without AlG. Similar results were also observed for Pt. The increase in Pt_s or Au_s concentration in the silicon bulk provides the most direct evidence so far that AlG with 400 nm Al layer, for 50 min at 1100 °C injects vacancies with non‐equilibrium concentrations of about 10¹⁵ cm⁻³. The possible mechanism of vacancies generation is discussed.