Build-up and annealing of damage produced by low-energy argon ions at Si(lll) surface

The amount of argon trapped and various surface property changes produced by 750 eV argon ion bombardment of Si(111) are investigated using Auger electron spectroscopy, thermal desorption spectrometry and low-energy electron diffraction. Critical saturation doses and annealing temperatures are determined, indicating that the surface reaches damage saturation at lower doses and begins to reorder at lower temperatures than the underlying region.