Effect of Dysprosium Atoms Introduced During the Growth Phase on the Formation of Radiation Defects in Silicon Crystals

In this study, the formation and reduction mechanisms of radiation defects resulting from the incorporation of dysprosium (Dy) atoms during the growth process of silicon crystals (FZ) were investigated. Deep-level defects formed after doping n-type silicon with dysprosium and irradiating it with 60Co γ-rays were analyzed using Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS). The research revealed that in the presence of dysprosium, the concentration of defects such as A-center (vacancy-oxygen complex) and E-center (vacancy-phosphorus complex) decreased significantly - by 2-4 times - compared to control samples. EDS spectral analysis was conducted to determine the concentration of surface element atoms in the sample, which demonstrated that the Dy element was uniformly distributed on the silicon surface and present in sufficient concentration. These results substantiate that Dy atoms in silicon play a passivating role, inhibiting the kinetics of radiation defect formation, consequently increasing the radiation resistance of silicon-based structures.