XTEM AND IR ABSORPTION ANALYSIS OF SILICON-CARBIDE PREPARED BY HIGH-TEMPERATURE CARBON IMPLANTATION IN SILICON

Cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (XTEM) and infrared ( IR) absorption have been used to study the morphology of silicon carbi de (beta-SiC) layers synthesized by 50 keV carbon implantation in sili con as a function of implantation temperature and dose. Particular att ention was devoted to relate the IR parameters (strength of the 794 cm (-1) absorption line, damping factor) to the XTEM observations. The ev olution with dose is particularly discussed on two samples implanted a t 700 degrees C, respectively at 10(18) and 2 X 10(18) cm(-2). The eff ect of post implantation annealing at 1200 degrees C is also investiga ted on samples implanted at 600 and 900 degrees C. The major feature o f this study is the demonstration that silicon can accommodate a limit ed amount of implanted carbon to form a beta-SiC phase.