SiC nanoboulders on silicon – a nuclear reaction analysis study of low energy 13C implanted and subsequently electron beam annealed (1 0 0) silicon

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Vol. 217; no. 4; pp. 583 - 588
• Main Authors: Markwitz, A., Kennedy, V.J., Johnson, S., Trompetter, W.J., Rudolphi, M., Baumann, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.06.2004
• Subjects: 13C implantation; Electron beam annealing; Nanoboulder; Nanocrystal; Nuclear reaction analysis; SiC; 61.46.+w; Nuclear reaction analysis; Nanoboulder; 25.45.−z; 66.10.Cb; 13C implantation; 61.80.Fe; 61.82.Fk; Electron beam annealing; SiC; Nanocrystal
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2003.12.072

Non-resonant and resonant nuclear reaction analysis (NRA and RNRA) have been used to study the composition and formation of SiC nanoboulders on silicon. The nanoboulders are fabricated directly from 13C embedded into silicon (1 0 0) by ion implantation followed by electron beam rapid thermal annealing at 1100 °C for 15 s. Scanning electron microscope studies show the nanoboulders vary in size from 150 to 390 nm depending on implant dose. The deuterium induced 13C(d,p) 14C reaction was used to measure the 13C dose quantitatively. A high sensitivity of 1 ppm is guaranteed by detecting the p 0 signals in the background-free region of the NRA spectrum even in the presence of 12C, 14N and 16O impurities. 13C depth profiles were measured with the 13C(p,γ) 14N resonant nuclear reaction. Both NRA and RNRA showed that the implanted carbon concentration remains unchanged by annealing. Additionally, RNRA data indicates uptake of 13C into the nanoboulders during growth resulting in the observed depletion of 13C from the substrate surface. Quantification of the data suggests that 50% of the implanted 13C is contained within the nanoboulders.