High dose, low energy implantation of nitrogen in silicon, niobium and aluminium

Silicon, niobium and aluminium surfaces were implanted with nitrogen ion beams at energies between 1 and 5 keV. Subsequently, the distributions of the implanted species were determined by means of Auger electron spectroscopy sputter depth profiling. Depending on the ion energy and dose and the substrate, different concentration depth profiles were observed. The nitrogen profiles become stationary for high ion doses and indicate the generation of intrinsic nitride layers at the bombarded surfaces. The depth profiles can be described by simple implantation theory when sputtering of the substrate surface during implantation and the highest stoichiometrically possible nitrogen concentration in the corresponding nitrides are taken into account. (orig.)