Ion beam synthesis of SiC layers in SIMOX material

100 keV high-dose carbon implantation into SIMOX layer structures followed by thermal annealing at 1250 degrees C has been used to synthesize buried epitaxial 3C-SiC layers, which are electrically insulated from the silicon substrate. The layer structures resulting from implantations at 400 and 600 degrees C are analyzed as a function of dose for the as-implanted and the annealed state using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The synthesis of Si/SiC/SiO2/Si layer systems as well as the formation of layer systems including a few nm thin and thermally stable c-Si intermediate layer between the SiC and the SiO2 layer is described. It is shown that carbon atoms can be incorporated into the oxide layer with concentrations up to at least 38 at.% and that this carbon is stable against outdiffusion during annealing at 1250 degrees C.