Infrared reflection measurements at near normal incidence between 400-7800
cm(-1) have been performed on ion implanted bulk and epitaxial 4H-SiC. Thre
e samples were triple implanted with N-14 at 30, 80, and 140 keV to achieve
a flat dopant profile. A fourth sample was implanted at 20, 40 and 60 keV
at a temperature of similar to 830 K in-order to reduce lattice damage. We
make use of the Reststrahlen band, situated between the Transverse Optical
(TO) omega(TO) and the Longitudinal Optical (LO) omega(LO) phonon modes to
investigate both the damage created by ion-implantation and the lattice rec
overy induced by subsequent XeCl excimer laser (308 nm) annealing. We show
that an optimum incident laser fluence between 0.9 and 1.0 J/cm(2) exists f
or lattice recovery. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.