Crystal-orientation dependence of surface recombination velocity for silicon nitride passivated silicon wafers

The crystal-orientation dependence of the surface recombination velocity for silicon nitride coated silicon wafers is investigated and compared with thermal oxides. A qualitative very similar orientation dependence of S_eff,d(Δn) for thermal oxide and PECVD nitride coated p-Si wafers etched in diluted HF is found with S_eff,d(Δn) (100)<(110)<(111). The type of HF-etch (diluted or buffered HF) prior to deposition has a large influence on S _eff,d for the nitride coated p-Si wafers. For the nitride coated n-Si wafers etched in diluted HF no orientation dependence of S _eff,d is observed