Structure and strain measurements on SiC formed by carbon ion implantation

Thin buried silicon carbide layers have been formed by high-dose carbon ion implantation into silicon and subsequent annealing, The formation of SiC during implantation and the structure of carbide layers after annealing are investigated by X-ray diffraction measurements using a four-circle goniometer. A detailed stress analysis of the epitaxially aligned 3C-SiC precipitates formed during implantation is presented. The three-dimensional strain and stress tensors are calculated for different doses. With increasing dose, stress relaxation accompanied by a transition from isotropic to anisotropic strain/stress states is observed. The dose dependence of the peak intensities of 3C-SiC present in the as-implanted state is studied. Stress tensors show a further relaxation in the annealed state.