AMORPHIZATION AND SOLID-PHASE EPITAXY OF HIGH-ENERGY ION-IMPLANTED 6H-SIC

We have investigated microstructures of damaged and recrystallized lay ers in MeV-ion implanted 6H-SiC (0001) wafers by means of cross-sectio nal transmission electron microscopy. The substrate surfaces were impl anted at 160 degrees C with 1 x 10(17)/cm(2) 8 MeV Si3+ ions using a t andem accelerator. A buried amorphous layer was formed ranging from si milar to 1.6 mu m to similar to 3.4 mu m in depth. The amorphous/cryst alline transition regions consisted of many stacking faults perpendicu lar to the [0001] direction, and their density increased toward the am orphous region. The amorphous layer regrew epitaxially from the undama ged substrate at an annealing temperature of similar to 1000 degrees C . This epitaxial 6H-SiC layer changed to columnar 6H-SiC with crystal orientations different from the substrate. In addition to these crysta lline 6H-SiC, the existence of polycrystalline 3C-SiC was confirmed in the middle part of the recrystallized layer.