Crystal-orientation dependence of surface recombination velocity for silicon nitride passivated silicon wafers

The crystal-orientation dependence of the surface recombination velocity for silicon nitride coated silicon wafers is investigated and compared with thermal oxides. A qualitative very similar orientation dependence of S/sub eff,d/(/spl Delta/n) for thermal oxide and PECVD nitride coated p-Si wafers etched in diluted HF is found with S/sub eff,d/(/spl Delta/n) (100)<[110]<(111). The type of HF-etch (diluted or buffered HF) prior to deposition has a large influence on S/sub eff,d/ for the nitride coated p-Si wafers. For the nitride coated n-Si wafers etched in diluted HF no orientation dependence of S/sub eff,d/ is observed.