Microstructural anisotropy at the ion-induced rippled amorphous-crystalline interface of silicon

Abstract

Using grazing-incidence X-ray scattering technique the authors have investigated the evolution of the damage profile of the transition layer between the ion-induced ripplelike pattern on top surface and the ripples at buried crystalline interface in silicon created after irradiation with 60 keV Ar⁺ ions under 60°. The transition layer consists of a defect-rich crystalline part and a complete amorphous part. The crystalline regions are highly strained but relaxed for low dose and high dose irradiations, respectively. The appearance of texture in both cases shows that the damage of the initial crystalline structure by the ion bombardment takes place along particular crystallographic directions.