Evolution of Hydrogen Platelets in Silicon Determined by Polarized Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract

Crystalline silicon treated in a remote hydrogen plasma exhibits $\{111\}$ platelike defects. From polarized Raman spectroscopy, we identify two different hydrogen-related extended $\{111\}$ defects, which exist simultaneously in the samples: an optically dense structure with $\epsilon \cong 14$ and a structure with $\epsilon \cong 1$ which contains the ${\mathrm{H}}_2$ molecules. The platelet with $\epsilon \cong 14$ is assigned to agglomerated ${\mathrm{H}}_2^{*}$ defects in a (111) plane. At 100 °C, it transforms into the platelet with $\epsilon \cong 1$, which is assigned to hydrogenated silicon (111) surfaces.