Wurtzite InP phase formation during swift Xe ions irradiation

Ion beam-induced amorphization and crystallization in InP implanted at room temperature with swift (250 and 340 MeV) Xe+ ions to doses 5x1013 and 1x10-14 cm-2, respectively, are investigated by the transmission electron microscopy. For ion fluences above 5x1013 cm-2 the formation of amorphous InP of two different atomic structures is registered after swift Xe ion implantation as a consequence of electron and nuclear energy deposition. In the case of the highest ion dose implanted (1x1014 cm-2) a partial crystallization of the amorphous surface layer to polycrystalline InP is observed. The crystallization process passes a stage of wurtzite InP phase formation which is found to be metastable. (author)