Amortization and Recrystallization of 6H-SiC by ion Beam Irradiation

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe evolution of the damage in the near surface region of single crystalline 6H-SiC generated by 200 keV Ge+ ion implantation at room temperature (RT) was investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy/chanelling (RBS/C). The threshold dose for amorphization was found to be about 3 · 1014 cm-2, Amorphous surface layers produced with Ge+ ion doses above the threshold were partly annealed by 300 keV Si+ ion beam induced epitaxial crystallization (IBIEC) at a relatively low temperature of 480°C For comparison, temperatures of at least 1450°C are necessary to recrystallize amorphous SiC layers without assisting ion irradiation. The structure and quality of both the amorphous and recrystallized layers were characterized by cross-section transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). Density changes of SiC due to amorphization were measured by step height measurements.