Extended defect related excess low-frequency noise in Si junction diodes

This paper investigates the correlation between the density of oxygen-precipitation induced extended defects and the low-frequency (LF) noise spectral density of Cz Si junction diodes. It is shown that the excess LF noise intensity increases with increasing starting oxygen concentration and with increasing extended defect density, as revealed for instance by infrared Laser Scanning Tomography (LST). From the correlation with the bulk minority carrier lifetime, it is derived that the increase in excess 1/f noise originates from carrier recombination fluctuations associated with the SiO{sub x} precipitates, or the associated secondary defects.