Simulation of Nitrogen Indiffusion and Its Impact on Silicon Wafer Strength

Herein, the concentration profiles of nitrogen after nitriding rapid thermal annealing (RTA) of Si wafer surfaces are simulated. A model describing the fundamental partial differential equations for diffusion and interaction of nitrogen, vacancies, interstitials, and nitrogen vacancy (NV) complexes is used for this thermal process and the equations are solved simultaneously. In addition, thermal stress tests via intentionally induced stress due to the temperature gradient in an RTA process are conducted. By these wafer strength tests, which apply a controlled stress level, the relative slip robustness of wafers with nitrogen‐indiffused RTA and polished wafers are compared quantitatively.