Non-linear RUV in Si

A resonance effect of the generation of subharmonic acoustic vibrations is observed in as-grown, oxidized, and epitaxial silicon wafers. Ultrasonic vibrations were generated into a standard 200 mm Czochralski-silicon (Cz-Si) wafer using a circular ultrasound transducer with a major frequency of the radial vibrations at about 26 kHz. By tuning the frequency (f) of the transducer within a resonance curve, we observed a generation of intense f /2 subharmonic acoustic mode assigned as a ‘‘whistle.’’ The whistle mode has a threshold amplitude behavior and narrow frequency band. The whistle is attributed to a nonlinear acoustic vibration of a silicon plate. It is demonstrated that characteristics of the whistle mode are sensitive to internal stress and can be used for quality control and in-line diagnostics of oxidized and epitaxial Cz-Si wafers.