Typescript (photocopy) / xiv, 296 leaves, [3] leaves of plates : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physics, 1980

Gettering of impurities with oxygen precipitates is widely used during the fabrication of semiconductors to improve the performance and yield of the devices. Since the effectiveness of the gettering process is largely dependent on the initial interstitial oxygen concentration, accurate measurements of this parameter are of considerable importance. Measurements of interstitial oxygen following thermal cycles are required for development of semiconductor fabrication processes and for research into the mechanisms of oxygen precipitate nucleation and growth. Efforts by industrial associations have led to the development of standard procedures for the measurement of interstitial oxygen in wafers. However practical oxygen measurements often do not satisfy the requirements of such standard procedures. An additional difficulty arises when the silicon wafer has a low resitivity (high dopant concentration). In such cases the infrared light used for the measurement is severely attenuated by the electrons of holes introduced by the dopant. Since such wafers are the substrates used for the production of widely used epitaxial wafers, this measurement problem is economically important. Alternative methods such as Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy or Gas Fusion Analysis have been developed to measure oxygen in these cases. However, neither of these methods is capable of distinguishing interstitial oxygen from precipitated oxygen as required for precipitation studies. In addition to the commercial interest in heavily doped silicon substrates, they are also of interest for research into the role of point defects in nucleation and precipitation processes. Despite considerable research effort, there is still disagreement concerning the type of point defect and its role in semiconductor processes. Studies of changes in the interstitial oxygen concentration of heavily doped and lightly doped silicon wafers could help clarify the role of point defects in oxygen nucleation and precipitation processes. This could lead to more effective control and use of oxygen precipitation for gettering. One of the principal purposes of this thesis is the extension of the infrared interstitial oxygen measurement technique to situations outside the measurement capacities of the standard technique. These situations include silicon slices exhibiting interfering precipitate absorption bands and heavily doped n-type silicon wafers. A new method is presented for correcting for the effect of multiple reflections in silicon wafers with optically rough surfaces. The technique for the measurement of interstitial oxygen in heavily doped n-type wafers is then used to perform a comparative study of oxygen precipitation in heavily antimony doped (.035 ohm-cm) silicon and lightly doped p-type silicon. A model is presented to quantitatively explain the observed suppression of defect formation in heavily doped n-type wafers.

published_or_final_version / Civil Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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M.S.

The present study was carried out to investigate the formation and evolution of non-metallic inclusions during ingot casting. Emphasize have been on understanding the types of inclusions formed and developed through the casting process and on the development of already existing inclusions carried over from the ladle during casting. Industrial experiments carried on at Uddeholm Tooling together with laboratory work and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. Ingots of 5.8 tons have been sampled and the types of inclusions together with their distribution within the ingot have been characterized. Two new types of inclusions have been found. Type C1 is found originated from casting powder and in the size from a few μm to 30 μm. Type C2 is of macro inclusion type sizing up to 70 μm. The presence of C2 inclusions are few but very detrimental for the quality of the steel. Both types, C1 and C2 consist of alumina, indicating that reoxidation is the main reason for their existence. The protecting argon shroud has been studied by the use of a 1:1 scaled 2D model. Both flow pattern and oxygen measurement have been carried out. CFD has also been used as an auxiliary tool. It has been found that the oxygen pickup through argon gas shroud depends mostly on the distance between the ladle and the collar placed on top of runner. Further increase of gas flow rate above 2.5 m3.h-1 had very little effect on the oxygen distribution since both the flushing effect and the entraining effect with respect to oxygen are enhanced by further increase of inert gas flow rate. In the case of dual gas inlet, the flow in the shroud was found much less diffused compared with either vertical or horizontal injection system. The oxygen content in this arrangement was also greatly reduced. Studies of the runner after casting revealed a sparse non-metallic network structure around the periphery of the steel rod remained in the runner. The surface of the refractory had been severely attacked by the mechanical force from the streaming steel. The erosions of the centre stone and the end stone were on the other hand negligible. CFD calculations showed that the flow at those locations is almost stagnant. The surface of the refractory in contact with the steel was found to have an increased content of alumina. The source for the alumina could come from either exchange reaction of dissolved aluminium replaces the silica or reoxidation products origin from oxygen pick up during the transfer from the ladle to the vertical runner. Inclusions were also found entrapped in the steel refractory interface. It was also found that a formation of a liquid slag film as early as possible during casting would increase the possibility to remove inclusions and especially inclusions generated by the casting powder. / QC 20100617