Investigations of SiC semiconductor nanoinclusions formed by sequential ion implantation and annealing in thermally oxidized Si

Abstract

AbstractThe methods of X‐ray photoelectron and extended electron energy loss fine structure (EELFS) spectroscopy were used for the investigation of phase composition and structure of SiO2 layer implanted sequentially by Si+ (energy of 100 keV, dose of 7 × 1016 cm−2) and C+ (energy of 50 keV, dose of 7 × 1016 cm−2) ions and postannealed at 1000 or 1100 °C (2 h). The SiSi and SiC bonds in carbide (SiC) nanoinclusions and CC bonds of sp3 type in carbon inclusions are identified. The concentration of dangling bonds significantly decreases with elevation of annealing temperature. The distribution of SiC nanoinclusions at 1100 °C annealing corresponds to the distribution of implanted atoms, whereas sp3‐C phase is distributed nearly homogeneously over the implanted layer. The ratio of SiC to sp3‐C quantities is lower when intermediate annealing at 1100 °C is provided after Si+ implantation. The local atomic structure near the surface is determined from the EELFS. The experimental results demonstrate the physical basis of white photoluminescence, originating from the SiC nanocrystals, diamond‐like carbon particles, matrix, and interfacial defects. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.