Surface morphology of He-implanted single-crystalline silicon

Single-crystalline Si (100) samples were implanted with 30 keV He2+ ions to doses ranging from 2.0x10(16) to 2.0x10(17) ions/cm(2) and subsequently thermally annealed at 800 degrees C for 30min. The morphological change of the samples with the increase of implantation dose was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that oblate-shaped blisters with an average height around 4.0nm were found on the 2.0 x 10(16) ions /cm(2) implanted sample surface; spherical-shaped blisters with an average height wound 10.0nm were found on the 5.0 x 10(16) ions/cm(2) implanted sample surface; strip-shaped and conical cracks were observed on the sample He-implanted to a dose of 1.0 X 10(17) ions /cm(2). Exfoliations occurred on the sample surface to a dose of 2.0 x10(17) ions /cm(2). Mechanisms underlying the surface change were discussed.

National Natural Science Foundation of China 10575124 director's foundation in Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) 0505060SZo