Characterization of Si1-x-yGexCy films grown by C+ implantation and subsequent pulsed laser annealing

Abstract

Epitaxial Si1-x-yGexCy films have been grown by C+ implantation into Si0.76Ge0.24 films with a dose of 1.0 x 10(16)/cm(2) and subsequent pulsed KrF laser annealing at an energy density of 0.3-1.6 J/cm(2). Upon laser annealing Ce segregation to the film surface and diffusion to the underlying Si appeared at energy densities above 0.8 J/cm(2) and 1.4 J/cm(2), respectively while the depth profiles of C remained nearly unchanged as in the as-implanted Si1-x-yGeyCy film. Concurrently, no SiC and twin were observed. The amount of C incorporated into substitutional sites initially increased with the energy density in the range of 0.3-1.0 J/cm(2), and then saturated at an energy density of 1.0-1.6 J/cm(2). For the Si1-x-yGexCy films grown at 1.0 J/cm(2) for 5 and 20 pulses SiC was formed with its amount increasing with the pulse number because of C segregation to the film surface and the original amorphous/crystal interface where the EOR defects were present. For the Si1-x-yGexCy films grown at energy densities below 1.0 J/cm(2) the reduction of tensile stress mainly resulted from the effect of substitutional carbon incorporation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.