Comparative study of Si-NL8 and Si-NL10 thermal-donor-related EPR centers

Abstract

The current status of the electron-paramagnetic-resonance and electron-nuclear double-resonance (ENDOR) studies of thermal-donor (TD) centers in silicon is critically reviewed. The structural models developed for the TD-related Si-NL8 and Si-NL10 heat-treatment centers are presented. On the basis of the above, the possible identifications of these centers with special emphasis on the issue of the Si-NL10 center are given. It is shown that many of the apparent controversies in the recent ENDOR findings are of superficial nature, and a surprisingly uniform picture of the thermal-donor center is emerging.