The use of electron back-scattered diffraction to study the regrowth of amorphised silicon-based heterostructures

Electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) patterns are produced by inelast ically scattered electrons and are intimately related to the local crystal orientation and quality. Analysis of the EBSD patterns is a rapid, non-dest ructive technique, which we have used to follow the regrowth of amorphised silicon-based heterostructures. The effective spatial resolution is 80 nm, and we show that the technique can detect buried amorphous and oxide layers . Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) studies confirm t he EBSD results. A gas source MBE-grown Si1-xGex (x = 14.5%) multi-quantum- well structure with good optical properties was implanted with an amorphisi ng dose of either Si or Er, or Si followed by Er. The structure was anneale d at 560 degreesC under Bowing N-2 and regrowth was monitored at intervals by EBSD. It was found that structures implanted only with Er regrew faster than those implanted only with Si. As expected, the sample implanted with b oth Si and Er showed regrowth kinetics in between the two. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.