Effect of mixing ions on the formation process of β-SiC fabricated by ion beam mixing

Abstract

Abstract The enhanced β-SiC phase formation through the annealing of SiC mixtures prepared by ion beam techniques was studied. The SiC mixtures were formed at room temperature either by ion beam mixing of a carbon film deposited onto silicon with argon and neon ions or by direct carbon ion implantation into silicon. The formation of the β-SiC phase with annealing was studied using IR absorption spectroscopy. After an isochronal anneal for 30 min, an SiC mixture formed by ion beam mixing changed into the β-SiC phase at 800°C and 850–900°C for argon and neon mixing ions respectively. These formation temperatures are lower than that for SiC mixtures (900°C) formed by direct carbon ion implantation into silicon. An irradation with argon or neon ions into the SiC mixtures formed by direct carbon ion implantation also caused a reduction in the β-SiC formation temperature above a critical dose. Annealing of the SiC mixtures for longer periods showed a further reduction in the β-SiC formation temperature. This enhancement of the β-SiC formation is discussed in connection with the formation of continuous amorphous layers in the SiC mixtures during mixing. The activation energy for the β-SiC formation process is also presented.