Properties of near-surface layer of ⁶⁴Zn⁺ ion hot-implanted Si

We have investigated nanoparticles (NPs) formation in Si by ⁶⁴Zn⁺ ion implantation at substrate temperature of 350 °C. Hot implantation was chosen to avoid amorphization of Si near-surface layer. In as-implanted samples the Zn crystal NPs were created. Then the samples were subsequently subjected to isochronous annealing in oxygen at elevated temperatures. The depth profile of implanted Zn was analyzed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The dependence of photo-luminescence spectra on annealing temperatures was observed. In these spectra the peak at 370 nm attributable to ZnO phase and wide peak at 430 nm due to defects were revealed. The visualization and identification of NPs were obtained by transmission electron microscopy and transmission electron diffraction of cross-section samples. From these study it follows, that after annealing at temperature of 700 °C and higher the NPs with structure of Zn(core)/ZnO · Zn₂SiO₄(shell) were formed. Auger electron spectroscopy investigation followed the phase content in depth profile was varied from ZnO Zn₂SiO₄ at a substrate surface to metal Zn in a substrate body. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)