Structural relation between Si and SiC formed by carbon ion implantation

The formation of crystalline SiC by implantation of C ions into silicon is not a single-step process. The implantation results in an elastic distortion of the Si matrix lattice and in a formation of crystalline SiC particles depending on ion fluence and thermal conditions at implantation and post-annealing.
The growth of the SiC particles in the Si matrix was studied with different x-ray scattering techniques and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Crystallites of the 3C-SiC polytype are formed in a buried layer. Three groups of crystallites with different orientation relation to the Si matrix are found: with a random orientation like a powder material, with a fibre texture axis parallel to the surface normal, and completely aligned to the Si matrix lattice due to a partially coherent growth of SiC in the Si matrix. The thermal treatment favours the growth of highly oriented material: a higher implantation temperature is more efficient than a post-implantation treatment even at higher temperatures.