Deep ultra violet and visible Raman spectroscopy studies of ion implanted 6H-SiC: Recrytallisation behaviour and thermal decomposition/thermal etching of the near surface region

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 2015-12, Vol.365, p.342-346
• Main Authors: Kuhudzai, R.J., Malherbe, J.B., van der Berg, N.G., Hlatshwayo, T.T., Odutemowo, O., Prinsloo, L.C., Buys, A.V., Erasmus, R., Wendler, E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annealing; Excitation; Ion implantation; Lasers; Raman spectroscopy; Recystallisation; SiC; Silicon carbide; Silver; Spectra; Thermal decomposition; Thermal etching
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2015.07.097

The recystallisation behaviour and thermal decomposition of the near surface amorphised region of 6H-SiC have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy. 360keV ions of iodine and silver were implanted at room temperature into wafers of 6H-SiC resulting in the amorphisation of the near surface region. Vacuum annealing of the samples was performed at 1200°C for 5h and then sequentially from 1200 to 1600°C in steps of 100°C for 30h at each annealing temperature. Raman spectroscopy was performed using two laser wavelength excitation regimes, the 514nm laser (visible region) and the 244nm laser (deep ultraviolet region, DUV). Measurements in the visible region for samples annealed at 1200°C for 5h showed that the characteristic 6H-SiC peaks, namely, the Transverse Optical (TO) and Longitudinal Optical (LO) are similar to the virgin samples, albeit with lower intensity due to some retained defects upon recystallisation of the SiC surface region. The similarities between the virgin spectra and the annealed sample were due to the deep penetration of the 514nm laser into 6H-SiC resulting in the signal from the bulk undamaged 6H-SiC contributing to the overall spectra. However, DUV laser excitation, which only probes the near surface region, shows that after annealing the peaks are broader and asymmetrical compared to the virgin samples. DUV Raman spectra of samples annealed at 1600°C indicate that SiC has completely decomposed and the top surface layer is now covered by a carbon layer. However the deeper penetrating laser in the visible region showed that the extent of decomposition at 1600°C was greater for the silver implanted samples than for the iodine implanted samples.