Direct evidence of oxygen precipitates in epitaxial silicon obtained by micro‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Oxygen redistribution near the interface between the epitaxial layer and substrate was monitored with micro‐Fourier transform infrared measurements in a transversal wafer cross‐section configuration. It has been shown that oxygen contamination of the epitaxial layer may induce the formation of SiO2 precipitates into the film, due to outdiffusion from the substrate. To our knowledge this is the first direct evidence of oxygen precipitation phenomena within the epitaxial layer.