Abstract
Phosphorus segregation at grain boundaries in thin-film silicon has been investigated by scanning transmission electron microscope x-ray microanalysis. Low-pressure chemically vapor-deposited silicon was heavily diffusion doped and subsequently annealed at 650, 700, 750, or 800 °C. Enhanced phosphorus concentrations were observed at grain boundaries with increasing levels at lower annealing temperatures. The amount of segregation was also found to vary from boundary to boundary in each specimen. The average energy of segregation was evaluated as 7.5 kcal/mol.