Silicon wafer production is expected to grow in the coming years with increased demand for semiconductors especially in consumer electronics, automotives, and the use of silicon devices in the growing solar power industry. The Czochralski (CZ) process most widely adopted process in the industry for silicon wafer manufacturing. This process produces wafers with elemental impurities, particularly carbon and oxygen. Oxygen can have a positive benefit as it acts as a getter, removing trace metal impurities. The levels of the carbon and oxygen impurities in silicon wafers need to be determined to ensure they are not too high since this can lead to electrically active defects and product failure/rejection.
This application note describes how FT-IR spectroscopy offers a rapid and easy measurement technique to determine the levels of these impurities according to global standard methods.