Effect of exposing Se pre-implanted polycrystalline SiC to maximum electronic energy loss of 33.7 keV/nm and annealing

Abstract

In this work the effect of swift heavy ions (SHIs) (710 MeV Bi⁵¹⁺) irradiation and annealing on selenium (Se) pre-implanted silicon carbide (SiC) was investigated. SiC samples were implanted individually with 200 keV Se ions to a fluence of 1 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻² at both room temperature (RT) and 350 °C. Following this, some pre-implanted samples were irradiated at RT with 710 MeV Bi⁵¹⁺ ions to a fluence of 1 × 10¹³ cm⁻². These irradiated samples then underwent sequential annealing at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1200 °C, in 100 °C increments, for 10 h. The samples were characterized using Raman, SEM, TEM, and RBS. Sequential annealing of the RT pre-implanted and then irradiated sample up to 1200 °C led to recrystallization of the highly defective SiC layer into strained nano-crystalline SiC with cavities, accompanied by the formation of Se precipitates. In contrast, sequential annealing of the 350 °C pre-implanted and then irradiated sample up to 1200 °C also caused recrystallization of the defective SiC layer into nano-crystalline SiC, but with minor strained regions. No loss or migration of Se was detected in either the RT or 350 °C pre-implanted samples following SHIs irradiation and annealing up to 1200 °C.