A COMPARISON OF THE RATES OF AMORPHIZATION IN THE ALXGA1-XAS/GAAS SYSTEM

The damage structure produced in GaAs and Al(x)Ga1-xAs (x = 0.85 and 0.20) by heavy-ion irradiations has been investigated by using the transmission electron microscope. The irradiations and the electron microscopy were performed at 30 and 300 K in situ using the HVEM accelerator facility at Argonne National Laboratory. The degree of amorphization at a particular ion dose was dependent on Al content, with the GaAs least resistant and the Al0.85Ga0.15As being the most resistant to amorphization. The reasons for these differences in resistance to amorphization will be considered in terms of cascade parameters and recrystallization rates. Preliminary results of simulation of amorphization, based on the semi-empirical randomization-and-relaxation method are also presented.