The effects of the annealing temperature on the formation of helium-filled structures in silicon

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Vol. 148; no. 1; pp. 329 - 333
• Main Authors: Fichtner, P.F.P, Kaschny, J.R, Behar, M, Yankov, R.A, Mücklich, A, Skorupa, W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 1999
• Subjects: Defects; He bubbles; Ion implantation; Silicon; Ion implantation; 61.82.V; Silicon; 61.72.T; 61.72.C; 61.72.Q; He bubbles; Defects
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-583X(98)00714-9

He + ions were implanted into (1 0 0) Si at energies from 30 to 120 keV and fluences from 5 × 10 15 to 1 × 10 16 cm −2. After implantation, pieces of these samples were subjected to thermal annealing at temperatures ranging from 300°C to 1000°C for times from 30 to 6600 s. The microstructure evolution of He induced cavities were investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Plate-like He filled structures are observed in samples annealed at low temperatures. The plate-like structures present distinct morphological developments depending on the annealing temperature. These results are discussed assuming that the structures contain a high He to vacancy ratio, which leads to the formation of highly pressurized He bubbles instead of cavities devoid of gas.