X-ray absorption near-edge structure anomalous behaviour in structures with buried layers containing silicon nanocrystals

Abstract

Substructure and phase composition of silicon suboxide films containing silicon nanocrystals and implanted with carbon have been investigated by means of the X-ray absorption near-edge structure technique with the use of synchrotron radiation. It is shown that formation of silicon nanocrystals in the films' depth (more than 60 nm) and their following transformation into silicon carbide nanocrystals leads to abnormal behaviour of the X-ray absorption spectra in the elementary silicon absorption-edge energy region (100–104 eV) or in the silicon oxide absorption-edge energy region (104–110 eV). This abnormal behaviour is connected to X-ray elastic backscattering on silicon or silicon carbide nanocrystals located in the silicon oxide films depth.