Effects of Bulk Microdefects and Metallic Impurities on p–n Junction Leakage Currents in Silicon

The effects of bulk microdefects and metallic impurities on leakage currents at p–n junctions have been evaluated quantitatively by relating leakage currents with bulk defects and metallic impurities, and the results are reported. Bulk defects and metallic impurities, which were introduced by appropriate thermal treatment and intentional contamination by spin-coating metal ion solutions onto the silicon surfaces, were shown to induce heavy leakage currents at p–n junctions, which had been manufactured by boron implantation and phosphorus diffusion. We found the bulk microdefects to be critical in causing leakage currents to flow and propose that their measurements be used as a means for the determination of the bulk defect densities. Die failure rates were also used for the evaluation of the effects of metallic impurities such as Cu, Ni, and Fe on the leakage currents.