Mechanisms in the ion beam synthesis of SiC layers in silicon

Single-crystalline buried 3C-SiC layers with rectangular carbon concentration profiles can be formed in silicon by ion beam synthesis using high-dose carbon implantation at constant or intentionally varied target temperatures and subsequent annealing at 1250 degrees C. Layer formation during annealing starts from a box-shaped depth distribution of equally sized SiC nanocrystals present after implantation. In this paper, some of the mechanisms involved in the evolution of this precipitate depth distribution, including the nucleation, the growth and the ballistic destruction of precipitates as well as the carbon mediated amorphization induced by the release of high concentrations of carbon atoms From destroyed precipitates are described on the basis of cross-sectional TEM and high-resolution TEM investigations as well as Monte-Carlo simulations. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.