Structural characterization of ion-beam-induced epitaxially crystallized thin layers of III-V and IV-IV semiconductors

Structural properties of ion-beam-induced epitaxial crystallization (IBIEC) for amorphous layers of GaAs on GaAs(100), BP on BP(100) and Si_1-xGe_x and Si_1-x-yGe_xC_y on Si(100) have been investigated. Crystallization was induced by ion bombardment with 400 keV Ne, Ar or Kr at 150 °C for GaAs and at 350 °C for BP. Epitaxial crystallization up to the surface was observed both in GaAs and BP at temperatures much below those required for the solid phase epitaxial growth (SPEG). The growth rate per nuclear energy deposition density has shown a larger dependence on ion dose rate in cases of heavier ion bombardments both for GaAs and BP. Crystallization of a-GaAs with ions whose projected ranges are within the amorphous layer thickness was also observed at 150 °C. Epitaxial crystallization of Si_1-xGe_x and Si_1-x-yGe_xC_y layers (x = 0.13 and y = 0.014 at peak concentration) on Si(100) formed by high-dose implantation of 80 keV Ge and 17 keV C ions has been observed in the IBIEC process with 400 keV Ar ion bombardments at 300-400 °C. Crystalline growth by IBIEC has shown a larger growth rate in Si_1-x-yGe_xC_y Si} than in Si_1-xGe_x Si} with the same Ge concentration for all bombardments under investigation. X-ray rocking-curve measurements have shown a strain-compensated growth in Si_1-x-yGe_xC_y Si}, whereas Si_1-xGe_x Si} samples have shown a growth with strain accommodation.