LOW-ENERGY-ELECTRON BEAM-INDUCED REGROWTH OF ISOLATED AMORPHOUS ZONESIN SI AND GE

Spatially isolated amorphous regions in Si and Ge have been regrown at room temperature by using an electron beam with an energy less than t hat required to cause displacement damage in crystalline material. The rate at which the zones regrow is a function of the energy of the ele ctron beam. As the electron energy is increased from 25 keV (lowest en ergy employed), the regrowth rate decreases and reaches a minimum belo w the threshold displacement voltage. With further increases in the el ectron energy, the rate again increases. It is suggested that at the l ower electron energies this room temperature regrowth process is stimu lated by electronic excitation rather than by displacive-type processe s.