Relaxation of a defect subsystem in silicon irradiated with high-energy heavy ions

Abstract

The relaxation of a silicon defect subsystem modified by the implantation of high-energy heavy ions was studied by varying the electrical properties of irradiated Si crystal annealed at a temperature of 450°C. It is shown that quenched-in acceptors are introduced into Si crystals as a result of irradiation with comparatively low doses of Bi ions and subsequent relatively short annealing (no longer than 5 h); the distribution of these quenched-in acceptors has two peaks located at a depth of about 10 µm and at a depth corresponding approximately to the ions’ projected range (43.5 µm). The peaks in the distribution of quenched-in acceptors correspond to the regions enriched with vacancy-containing defects. As the heat-treatment duration increases, the acceptor centers are transformed into donor centers with the centers’ spatial distribution remaining intact. Simultaneously, an almost uniform introduction of quenched-in donors occurs in the entire crystal beyond the depth corresponding to the projected range of ions.