Annealing kinetics of {311} defects and dislocation loops in the end-of-range damage region of ion implanted silicon

The evolution of both {311} defects and dislocation loops in the end-of-ran ge (EOR) damage region in silicon amorphized by ion implantation was studie d by ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The amorphization of a (100) n-type Czochralski wafer was achieved with a 20 keV 1 x 10(15)/cm(2) Si+ ion implantation. The post-implantation anneals were performed in a fu rnace at 750 degrees C for times ranging from 10 to 370 min. After annealin g the specimen for 10 min, the microstructure showed a collection of both { 311} defects and small dislocation loops. The evolution of a specific group of defects was studied by repeated imaging of the same region after additi onal annealing. Quantitative TEM showed that {311} defects followed one of two possible evolutionary pathways as annealing times progressed; unfaultin g to form dislocation loops or dissolving and releasing interstitials. Resu lts indicate that in this temperature regime, {311} defects are the prefere ntial site for dislocation loop nucleation. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)00807-X].