AbstractWe report on the results of experimental investigation and numerical simulation of switching of SOS diode with p ^+ P _0 n ^+ structure and with reduced thickness of P _0-base. The proposed 1D diffusion-drift model of electron–hole plasma dynamics is found to be in good agreement with the experiment. The reduction of the P _0-base thickness has allowed us to double the output pulse voltage with the same switching current density. This has been reached by a considerable reduction of switching losses as well as due to the formation of the domain of a strong quasi-rectangular electric field at the P _0 n ^+ junction during the current interruption. As a result, output pulse amplitude considerably exceeds the static breakdown voltage of P _0 n ^+ junction. This effect has been observed for the first time for high-voltage semiconductor opening switches.

The photo- and electroluminescence spectra of silicon-based structures formed by direct bonding with simultaneous doping with rare-earth metals are studied. It is shown that emission in the visible and IR spectral ranges can be obtained from n-Si:Er/p-Si and n-Si:Eu/p-Si structures fabricated by the method suggested in the study. The results obtained make this method promising for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices.

A simple method for power semiconductor devices with pn junctions is suggested, using the silicon direct bonding technology with simultaneous p-layer formation at the bonding region by attaching two wafers in an aqueous Al-nitrate solution. The resulting high structural quality is explained by the formation of Al-O-Si bonds in addition to Si-O-Si bonds as well as by the mass transport phenomena stimulated by diffusion of Si and Al atoms at the bonding interface.

A modified direct bonding technique employing a deposition on a wafer to be bonded of silica coating is proposed for the fabrication of Si-SiO/sub 2/-Si structures. The structural and electrical quality of bonded compositions is studied. Satisfied insulating properties of interfacial SiO/sub 2/ layer are demonstrated. Elastic strain caused by surface morphology in the structures with smooth and artificially grooved interfaces is investigated. The diminution of strain in the grooved structures is semi quantitatively interpreted by a model considering the virtual defects distributed over the interfacial region.

A modified silicon direct bonding(SDB) method employing the wet chemical coupling of tetraethoxysilane was applied for fabrication of a Si-SiO2-Si structure. The SiO2 layer of 1.2 mu m thick has been fabricated consistanly with a dielectric breakdown strength higher than 10(6)V/cm and a relative dielectric constant epsilon(r)=4.0+/-0.2. Capacitance-Voltage measurement showed that the fixed trap concentration was about 10(12)cm(-2) at Si-SiO2 interface.

We have proposed a novel modification of silicon direct bonding (SDB) technique dealing with silicon wafers joined in such a way that a smooth surface of one wafer is attached to the grooved surface of the other. This paper presents some experimental data related to devices based on the developed SDB-technique. By the method employing a regularly grooved interface, continuously bonded void-free P-N, P-P and N-N-structures with the initially misoriented wafers were fabricated and examined. Mapping the series resistance of I-V-curves on 60 mm diameter bonded structures demonstrated the absence of pronounced interfacial defects all over the operating area. By using the capacitance spectroscopy (DLTS) method it was shown that the deep level center concentration in the vicinity of bonded interface in the grooved-smooth structures is one order of value lower than in the conventional smooth-smooth SDB-structures.