Dissociation kinetics of hydrogen-passivated (100) Si/SiO₂ interface defects

The activation energy for thermal dissociation of hydrogen from silicon dangling-bond defects (Pb centers) has been measured using both (111)- and (100)-oriented samples. The behavior of each of the three P b varieties [P111b at the (111) interface, P100b0 and P100b1 at the (100) interface] is compared. For P111b, excellent agreement with previous results by Brower [Phys. Rev. B 42, 3444 (1990)] is obtained. The activation energies of the (100)-interface Pb centers are slightly higher, assuming the same vibrational frequency, and, unlike that of P 111b, are affected by a postoxidation anneal. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.