Positron annihilation measurements on hydrogen-plasma-treated silicon

Positron Lifetime Spectroscopy and Positron Beam Spectroscopy have been used to determine the effects of Electron Cyclotron Resonance, ECR, plasma treatment and subsequent annealing in terms of void concentrations for boron doped p-type silicon. The relative void concentrations and positron trapping rates were measured for an ECR plasma treated sample and an ECR treated and annealed sample relative to an annealed control sample. To explain the effects of plasma treatment and subsequent annealing a model is proposed. The model explains that the plasma treatment creates voids and fills some voids with hydrogen which is subsequently diffused out of the sample and deeper into the sample by annealing.