Properties of Hydrogen Species in n‐Type Silicon Deduced from In‐Diffusion Profiles

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Reported depth profiles of hydrogen in plasma‐exposed n‐Si samples can be fitted with a simple model of hydrogen transport by negative and neutral species (H − and H 0 ) accompanied by a reversible formation of hydrogen–donor pairs (HD) and by an irreversible production of mobile dimers H 2A —in particular by a bulk pairing reaction of the H − and H 0 species. Contrary to a complicated behavior of hydrogen found in p‐Si (with multiple independent states for positive ions and passivated boron), the situation in n‐Si appears to be much simpler as only single states for H − , H 0 , and HD are sufficient for profile reproduction. The parameters deduced from the profiles are the diffusivity of H − , the characteristic electron concentration marking equal contributions of H − and H 0 into hydrogen transport, and the diffusivity of H 2A dimers (in the available temperature range 120–225 °C).