Damage formation and recovery in C+-irradiated 6H-SIC

Single crystals of 6H-SiC were irradiated with 550 keV C+ ions over a range of temperatures (180 -870 K) and ion fluences (1 x 10(18) to 5 x 10(19) C/m(2)). The damage induced by the irradiation ranged from dilute defect con centrations up to buried amorphous layers. Damage recovery in the samples i rradiated at 180 K; has been followed by isochronal annealing (20 min) at 3 00, 370, 670 and 870 K(. The accumulation and recovery of atomic disorder o n the Si sublattice has been studied using in situ Rutherford Backscatterin g Spectrometry in combination with ion channeling methods (RBS/C). The diso rdering rate shows a sigmoidal dependence on dose at each irradiation tempe rature. Simultaneous defect recovery processes occur during irradiation at room temperature, and post-irradiation thermal defect recovery is also obse rved at room temperature. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.