Efficient gettering of low concentrations of copper contamination to hydrogen induced nanocavities in silicon

The efficient gettering to hydrogen-induced cavities in Si has been successfully demonstrated for low concentrations of Cu, unintentionally introduced during wafer processing. Secondary ion mass spectrometry showed up to ${\text{5×10}}^{12}\hspace{0.17em}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{-2}}\mathrm{Cu}$ could be introduced into a silicon wafer and trapped at cavities. Neutron activation analysis indicated that, in samples with cavities, the Cu within the bulk was below the detection limit (around ${\text{4×10}}^{11}\hspace{0.17em}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{-2}}\mathrm{),}$ while Cu was detected throughout the bulk of samples without cavities.