Mechanisms in the ion beam synthesis of SiC layers in silicon

Single-crystalline buried 3C-SiC layers with rectangular carbon concentrati on profiles can be formed in silicon by ion beam synthesis using high-dose carbon implantation at constant or intentionally varied target temperatures and subsequent annealing at 1250 degrees C. Layer formation during anneali ng starts from a box-shaped depth distribution of equally sized SiC nanocry stals present after implantation. In this paper, some of the mechanisms inv olved in the evolution of this precipitate depth distribution, including th e nucleation, the growth and the ballistic destruction of precipitates as w ell as the carbon mediated amorphization induced by the release of high con centrations of carbon atoms From destroyed precipitates are described on th e basis of cross-sectional TEM and high-resolution TEM investigations as we ll as Monte-Carlo simulations. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.