FAILURE MECHANISMS IN SILICON SEMICONDUCTORS

Abstract

Lattice defects in silicon and their effects on performance and reliability of semiconductor devices are investigated. Grain boundary dislocations, twin boundaries, and stacking faults in epitaxial layers are also investigated. Gallium diffusion along grain boundaries is studied. Impurity atmospheres are found to influence the electrical properties of dislocations. A new method of bicrystal growing is described. Stacking faults originate from oxygen impurities at the substrate used for epitaxy. The faults cause preferential microplasma breakdown. The problem of thermal lateral instability in transistor and thermistor structures is also investigated. Experimental evidence is presented for the existence of localized hot spots with elevated current densities and temperatures. This phenomenon is related to the second breakdown failure mechanisms in transistors.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 15, 1963
Accession Number
AD0297033

Entities

People

  • Hans J. Queisser

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Crystal Chemistry
  • Crystal Lattices
  • Crystal Structure
  • Crystallography
  • Crystals
  • Differential Equations
  • Electrical Properties
  • Electron Microscopes
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Geometry
  • Heat Energy
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductors

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Semiconductor Device Technology

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics