Semiquantitative subplantation model for low energy ion interactions with solid surfaces. III. Ion beam homoepitaxy of Si

The semiquantitative subplantation model developed in article I [K. J. Boyd, D. Marton, J. W. Rabalais, S. Uhlmann, and Th. Frauenheim, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 16, 444 (1998)] is used to describe the homoepitaxial growth of Si{100} films by low energy ion beam deposition. The model successfully describes the epitaxial quality of films grown at a variety of ion energies and substrate temperatures. Density functional molecular dynamics simulations are used to calculate threshold energies and cross sections for penetration of ions into the target lattice. These calculated values, used in conjunction with the model, yield good agreement with recently published experimental data for homoepitaxy by direct deposition of low energy Si+ ions. The model also provides a simple qualitative explanation of the limiting epitaxial thickness in molecular beam epitaxy and the success of epitaxial Si deposition by other hyperthermal particle methods. New insight into the atomic-level behavior of epitaxial film growth from hyperthermal particles is obtained from these applications. (C) 1998 American Vacuum Society.