Computer simulation of Ostwald ripening for ion beam synthesis of buried layers

Ion beam synthesis of buried layers can be realized by a two-stage process of ion implantation and a post-implantation thermal treatment. During ion i mplantation precipitates are formed after exceeding the solid solution stat e and grow with increasing fluence. Thermal treatments can stimulate an onw ard growth of the implantation-induced precipitates up to the state of coal escence, where closed buried layers can be formed. In order to investigate such Ostwald ripening processes, computer simulations based on a newly deve loped model were carried out. The model consists of both the diffusion beha viour and the precipitate evolution. Within one simulation time step the nu merical calculation of diffusion and precipitate changes is alternately per formed until a stationary numerical solution is achieved. The simulation of the diffusion part of the ripening process is realized by a multigrid algo rithm. which leads to near real time calculations. The obtained simulation results are compared to the predictions of the theory of Lifshitz, Slyozov and Wagner (LSW) and the advanced model of Voorhees and Glicksman. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.