Electron optical identification of precipitations in silicon semiconductor devices

Abstract In silicon MOS semiconductor devices precipitations were observed by TEM in the boron‐diffused regions. They were identified by using selected area diffraction, high resolution lattice plane imaging, Auger spectroscopy and microanalysis of X‐rays. The results lead to the conclusion that these particles consist of polycrystalline silicon and that oxygen and nitrogen, probably carbon too are concentrated inside the particles. The formation of these precipitations is only due to the technological process of the device manufactoring and does not depend on the silicon starting material.