Electron- and proton irradiation of strongly doped silicon of p-type: Formation and annealing of boron-related defects

A detailed study of boron-related defects in strongly doped p-type silicon subjected to irradiation with 3.5 MeV electrons and 15 MeV protons are carried out by means of electrical measurements over a wide temperature range of 25 ≤ T ≤ 300 K. Investigations are aimed at taking a close look into the nature of radiation-produced defects that are stable at room temperature. Data obtained allow one to reveal two types of dominant boron-related complexes, which are attributed to the substitutional boron-interstitial boron pair being neutral in p-type Si and the substitutional boron-divacancy complex displaying donor activity. The first type of the defects is very stable and its annealing runs in a temperature region of 500–700 °C. Another type of defect turned out to be stable up to 300 °C. The formation and annealing processes of the boron-related defects appear to be very similar for electron and proton irradiation of p-type Si.