Deep-level transient spectroscopy of the Ge-vacancy pair in Ge-doped n-type silicon

Proton-irradiation induced defects in Ge-containing, n-type Si, either grown by molecular-beam epitaxy or by the Czochralski technique, have been studied by on-line deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) after low-temperature irradiations. A level associated to the Ge-V pair has been unambigously identified with an activation enthalpy of 0.29 eV relative to the conduction band. It is argued that this level is most probably the (=/-) level of the Ge-V pair. A DLTS line correlated to a possible (-/0) level is not observed. [S0163-1829(98)00427-5].