Hydrogen-terminated defects in ion-implanted silicon probed by monoenergetic positron beams

Hydrogen-terminated vacancies in Si+-implanted Si were studied by means of positron annihilation. After the Si+-ion implantation, hydrogen atoms were introduced into the damaged region using a hydrogen plasma [hydrogen-atom treatment (HAT)]. Monoenergetic positron beams were used to measure Doppler broadening spectra of the annihilation radiation and the lifetime spectra of positrons. It was found that the line shape parameter, S, corresponding to the annihilation of positrons trapped by vacancy-type defects, decreased after HAT. This was attributed to the trapping of positrons by H-decorated vacancy-type defects. Isochronal annealing experiments revealed a strong correlation between positron annihilation parameters and Raman intensities of Si–H, suggesting that hydrogen atoms are released from vacancy-type defects after annealing at 600 °C.