Infrared Combination Mode Absorption in Lithium-Boron-Doped Silicon

Abstract

Infrared absorption bands due to double-quantum transitions of local lattice-mode vibrations in boron-lithium-doped silicon have been observed. The transitions are found near twice the frequency of all local modes and at the sum frequency of the two strongest local-mode vibrations, which are those associated with boron-lithium pairs. The relative strengths of the pair modes, the displacement of the modes from the mode due to isolated substitutional boron, and the relative strengths of the overtone absorption bands are consistent with the assumption of a predominantly Coulomb interaction between the boron and lithium ions. Five additional absorption bands, with frequency depending upon boron isotope, are found at frequencies not corresponding to sums of local-mode frequencies. Four of these bands occur at sum frequencies of the two strongest local-mode frequencies and of silicon critical-point phonon frequencies. The dependence of the frequency of all absorption peaks on lithium and boron isotopes is used to assist in the assignment of the absorption bands.