Hydrogen detection at thin film—silicon interfaces

The resonance depth profiling with 15 N beams was used to measure the hydrogen content and diffusion at the aluminum/silicon interface and the near‐interface region of silicon. The formation of a subsurface hydrogen barrier in silicon has been directly observed. The hydrogen barrier formation appears to be a general effect and a property of the near‐surface of silicon, and probably other semiconductors. The observed hydrogen profiles indicate that hydrogen can be easily and inadvertently introduced into the aluminum/silicon interface region and produces a large build‐up of hydrogen concentration in the near‐interface region of silicon.