Boron-enhanced blistering and exfoliation in hydrogen-implanted SrTiO3

The blistering behavior and the exfoliation of SrTiO3 single crystals were investigated using co-implantation with boron and hydrogen. In contrast to H-only-implantation, co-implantation of B+ with 1x10(15) ions/cm(2) at 80 kV and H+ with 5x10(16) ions/cm(2) at 40 kV caused a vigorous blistering and a complete exfoliation during the annealing process. A comparison of the blistering depth and the hydrogen distribution in the co-implanted samples revealed that the exfoliation did not occur in the regions of maximum hydrogen concentration or maximum hydrogen-related radiation damage. It occurred at the crossover of the boron distribution profile and hydrogen distribution profile. With the aid of an elastic recoil detection and the Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy in the channeling mode, the preimplanted boron was found to facilitate the long-range H movement into the B-implanted region, resulting in the chemical interaction between B and H. A bond analysis obtained from the Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection spectroscopy showed that B-H interactions resulted in the formation of boron hydride. It is proposed that the boron hydride formation and decomposition upon annealing provided the needed gas pressure for the complete exfoliation of B+H co-implanted SrTiO3 crystals. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.