Quantitative study of hydrogen-implantation-induced cavities in silicon by grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering

We used grazing-incidence small angle x-ray scattering to investigate properties of hydrogen implantation-induced platelets and cavities formed in silicon as a function of the implantation and annealing parameters. Density, orientation, and size (thickness and diameter) of these buried objects can be extracted from quantitative x-ray scattering intensity measurements, in a nondestructive manner. Detailed balance of hydrogen-induced defect evolution can be made with such data. Different defect populations result from different implantation temperatures and a low limit H dose is found for {111} platelets formation.