FORMATION OF SI3N4 AND SIC COMPOSITE BY NITROGEN IMPLANTATION

Silicon carbide was implanted with 50 keV nitrogen at elevated tempera ture up to 1100 degrees C in order to form a composite of SiC and Si3N 4. The depth profiles, the chemical state of the elements and the stru cture of the implanted surface were measured using Rutherford backscat tering (RBS), nuclear resonance analysis (NRA), Auger electron spectro scopy (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and glancing angle X-ray diffraction (G-XRD). With increasing nitrogen fluence a replace ment of carbon by nitrogen took place and beta-Si3N4 crystallites were formed on beta-SiC surface at 1100 degrees C, and the maximum concent ration and halfwidth of the nitrogen profile implanted at 1100 degrees C decreased in comparison with those implanted at < 930 degrees C. Pr eferential loss of graphite-like carbon produced by the nitrogen impla ntation was promoted by the irradiation with hydrogen radical beam dur ing the nitrogen implantation, and the amount of beta-Si3N4 crystallit es gradually increased. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights rese rved.