Thermally stimulated capacitance for shallow majority-carrier traps in the edge region of semiconductor junctions

The use of the thermally stimulated capacitance (TSCAP) arising from temperature-dependent Fermi level crossing of the trap level in the edge region of a p-n junction is explored as a means of scanning the band gap for shallow-level (60 meV from a band edge) majority-carrier traps above 77°K. An example of the oxygen-vacancy center (186 meV from the conduction band edge) in silicon is given as illustration. The edge region contribution also resolves the anomaly observed in previous applications of the TSCAP method.