The Temperature Dependence of the Ion Beam Induced Interfacial Amorphization in Silicon

The temperature dependence of the ion beam induced interfacial amorphization process (IBIIA) in silicon has been investigated at temperatures above 80 K using Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy/Channeling (RBS/C) and Cross-Sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (XTEM). Three regimes are observed. Above temperatures of about 320 K there is strong temperature dependence of the IBIIA rate (thermal regime). At lower temperatures the rate moves towards a saturation value (transition regime). Below approximately 150 K IBIIA is nearly temperature independent (ballistic regime). This low temperataure regime can be explained by an athermal transport of point defects like in ballistic mixing processes.