Tem Study Of Silicon Laser Annealed After The Implantation Of Low Solubility Dopants

SUMMARY The transmission electron microscope (TEM) has been used to study the structure of Si implanted with low solubility dopants and annealed using pulsed radiation from a Q‐switched ruby laser. Annealing took place by transient surface melting and, for Fe+ ion and Cu+ ion implants, most of the impurity was zone refined out to the sample surface where silicide phases were formed. The occurrence of constitutional supercooling in the resolidifying melt led to a non‐uniform distribution of these silicides. Nevertheless, the Si matrix recrystallized in a highly perfect manner, as was also the case for annealed Ar+ ion implants. However, the latter also gave rise to the formation of bubbles which yielded information about the final buried Ar distribution. Silicon layers implanted with very high doses of nitrogen also apparently retained some of the impurity after annealing, although studies of the physical state of this nitrogen are still in progress.