The elastic recoil detection method was applied to the in situ measurement of the H behavior in Si-implanted SiO2 samples, where annealing in a H environment increased the photoluminescence efficiency. Dominant H trap sites changed depending upon the implantation conditions. In samples annealed at room temperature, H seems to be trapped forming vacancy–H (V–H) and Si–H bonds. The thermal annealing of the high-dose Si-implanted SiO2 samples up to a temperature of 1173K changed defects into tight H trapping of Si–H bond in conflict with results obtained at a low-dose implantation. Annealing at 1343K grew Si nanocrystals, and H seemed to be trapped at the interface of Si nanocrystals and the SiO2 matrix. However, the results of Si implantation to 6 x 1017/cm2 showed that a large part of H was trapped as self-induced V–H complexes formed inside the crystals instead of the trap at interface.

Behavior of Hydrogen Implanted into Si-Implanted SiO2. M.Ikeda, R.Mitsusue, M.Nakagawa, S.Kondo, M.Imai, N.Imanishi: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 2003, 209, 154-8