Non-equilibrium impurity redistribution in Si

A low-energy Ar ion irradiation of a boron-doped silicon sample results in the formation and subsequent propagation of an n-p junction from the front surface into the bulk, to the depth comparable to the sample thickness. The effect is attributed to the generation of self-interstitials at the irradiated surface, and their long-range diffusion into the sample. The in-diffused self-interstitials lead to a loss of boron acceptors. either by the kick-out reaction or by acceleration of oxygen transport (and formation of boron-oxygen complexes). (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B,V. All rights reserved.