NEW INSITU PARALLEL-DETECTION ELECTRON ENERGY-LOSS SPECTROSCOPY OF SIC CRYSTALS IRRADIATED WITH HYDROGEN-IONS

Structural and compositional changes in SiC crystal due to hydrogen irradiation are examined by electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Amorphization was observed for a fluence above a value of 3 x 10(21) ions/m2. The plasmon loss peaks at 22.7 eV were found to shift to the lower energy side for the hydrogen-ion fluence of above 1.5 x 10(21)/m2 by use of parallel-EELS. From the shift of the plasmon loss peak, the ratio of composition, Si/C was estimated to be about 1.2 after hydrogen-ion irradiation to a fluence of 6.5 x 10(21) ions/m2. Furthermore, a shoulder appearing in the lower energy side of this plasmon loss peak was observed. From the differential curves of these spectra, it is considered that hydrogen atoms implanted into SiC crystals exist in the forms of both hydrogen molecules and C-H compounds.