Simulation of the influence of energetic atoms on Si homoepitaxial growth

Using a classical molecular-dynamics simulation, we study the homoepitaxial growth on a Si (100) (2 x 1) surface at 300 K. We compare the structures resulting from the deposition of 2-eV Si atoms, and from a 2% admixture of 30-eV Si atoms. Energetic atom bombardment results in a considerably reduced amorphous layer. This can be shown to be due to the strong bond rearrangement immediately after the energetic atom impact; atom mobility itself is very low. In both simulations, the amorphous layers suffer tensile stress, and an excess of overcoordinated atoms are found. A geometric analysis of the growth of the crystalline phase shows it to be consistent with a well-known structural model of Si recrystallization.