Vacancy-dominated, defect-free silicon

摘要

The present invention relates to single crystal silicon, in ingot or wafer form, having an axially symmetric vacancy dominated region and an axially symmetric silicon self-interstitial dominated region. Both the vacancy dominated and the silicon self-interstitial dominated regions are substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects. The vacancy dominated region has a radial width of at least 15 mm and/or includes the central axis and the silicon self-interstitial dominated region is annular in shape and extends radially outward from the vacancy dominated region to the peripheral edge of the ingot or wafer. In ingot form, the axially symmetric regions have an axial length which is at least 20% of the length of the constant diameter portion of the ingot.