Distribution of paramagnetic defects formed in silicon by MeV ion implantations

Abstract

Two different types of paramagnetic centers in silicon, Si-P3 (neutral {110} planar tetravacancies) in a well defined crystalline structure and point defects with poorly defined local structure in substantially damaged crystalline environments, formed by 3 MeV phosphorus and silicon ion implantations up to a dose of 1 × 10 14 cm −2 have been compared both in the dose dependence of area densities and in depth profiles. When the dose reaches to 1 × 10 14 cm −2, the area density of Si-P3 starts to saturate while that of “indefinite” point defects keeps increasing. Also at this dose, the mean concentration of Si-P3 decreases as a function of depth from the surface whereas that of “indefinite” point defects increases. These results are discussed in terms of a damage overlap model in conjunction with a Monte Carlo simulation of lattice disorder.