scope:

This standard was transferred to SEMI (www.semi.org) May 2003

1.1 This test method covers the determination of total oxygen concentration in the bulk of single crystal silicon substrates using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS).

1.2 This test method can be used for silicon in which the dopant concentrations are less than 0.2 % (1 X 10²⁰ atoms/cm³) for boron, antimony, arsenic, and phosphorus (see Test Method F 723). This test method is especially applicable for silicon that has resistivity between 0.0012 and 1.0 Ω-cm for p-type silicon and between 0.008 and 0.2 -cm for n-type silicon (see Test Methods F 43).

1.3 This test method can be used for silicon in which the oxygen content is greater than the SIMS instrumental oxygen background as measured in a float zone silicon sample, but the test method has a useful precision especially when the oxygen content is much greater (approximately 10x to 20x) than the measured oxygen background in the float zone silicon.

1.4 This test method is complementary to infrared absorption spectroscopy that can be used for the measurement of interstitial oxygen in silicon that has resistivity greater than 1.0 Ω-cm for p-type silicon and greater than 0.1 -cm for n-type silicon (see Test Method F 1188). The infrared absorption measurement can be extended to between 0.02 and 0.1 Ω-cm for n-type silicon with minor changes in the measurement procedure.

1.5 In principle, different sample surfaces can be used, but the precision estimate was taken from data on chemical-mechanical polished surfaces.

1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.