COMPLETE RECRYSTALLIZATION OF AMORPHOUS-SILICON CARBIDE LAYERS BY IONIRRADIATION

Ion-beam-induced recrystallization of amorphous surface layers on sing le-crystalline silicon carbide substrates (6H-SiC) has been investigat ed at temperatures of 500 and 1050 degrees C by cross-sectional transm ission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and channeling. It is shown, that ion irradiation substantially reduce s the onset temperature of both the epitaxial layer regrowth and the r andom nucleation of crystalline grains. Two recrystallization regimes have been found. At 500 degrees C ion-beam-induced random nucleation ( IBIRN) of crystalline grains strongly competes with ion-beam-induced e pitaxial crystallization (IBIEC) and polycrystalline material stops th e epitaxial regrowth front in an early stage. At a temperature of 1050 degrees C IBIEC dominates over IBIRN and a complete, but disturbed ep itaxial regrowth is obtained. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.