Complete recrystallization of amorphous silicon carbide layers by ion irradiation

Abstract

Ion-beam-induced recrystallization of amorphous surface layers on single-crystalline silicon carbide substrates (6H–SiC) has been investigated at temperatures of 500 and 1050 °C by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and channeling. It is shown, that ion irradiation substantially reduces the onset temperature of both the epitaxial layer regrowth and the random nucleation of crystalline grains. Two recrystallization regimes have been found. At 500 °C ion-beam-induced random nucleation (IBIRN) of crystalline grains strongly competes with ion-beam-induced epitaxial crystallization (IBIEC) and polycrystalline material stops the epitaxial regrowth front in an early stage. At a temperature of 1050 °C IBIEC dominates over IBIRN and a complete, but disturbed epitaxial regrowth is obtained.