The Vacancy-Oxygen (VO) centre is one of the most prominent defects appearing in silicon after irradiation with energetic particles and gamma rays. It is formed when migrating vacancies are trapped by interstitial oxygen atoms. It gives rise to a deep level in the upper part of the silicon handgap at 0.164 eV below the conduction band edge that can be conveniently studied by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). It is furthermore a very important defect from a technological point of view since it normally controls the charge carrier lifetimes in silicon power devices at high injection levels.
展开▼
