Damage removal and defect control in As ion implanted Si1-xGex epilayers during a high-temperature annealing process

Damage removal and defect control in As ion implanted, both metastable pseudomorphic and partially relaxed Si1 - xGex epilayers, were studied by double-crystal X-ray diffractometry, and were compared to those in the nonimplanted Si1 - xGex epilayers. Samples were prepared by the implantation of 2 x 10(16) As+ cm(-2) and 100 keV with subsequent rapid thermal annealing at 950 and 1050 degrees C for 18 s. The results show that the annealing of ion implanted arsenic in Si1 - xGex epilayers during RTA leads to removal of irradiation damage and recovery of amorphous SiGe layers to the as-grown samples, but does not induce further structural defects. The strain relaxation mechanism of the As+ implanted Si1 - xGex epilayers is discussed and compared to that in the nonimplanted Si1 - xGex epilayers. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.