TEM cross-sectional investigations of the amorphous/crystalline phase transition of ion-implanted silicon

In order to study the recrystallization behaviour of ion-implanted amorphous layers on <100> silicon substrates isochronal annealing experiments are carried out in vacuum at temperatures between 670 and 820 K. The initial a-layers have thicknesses between 50 and 230 nm. The as-implanted state and each annealed state are investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in cross-sectional view. The recrystallization rates are determined for Si+ preimplanted and pure doping implanted layers. Unlike thicker layers the growth parameters of such thin layers are more strongly influenced by the impurity concentrations and the surface conditions. (author)