Damage evolution and subsequent recovery in 4H–SiC epitaxial layers, bombarded with 1.1MeV Al22+ molecular ions at 150K to ion fluences ranging from 1.5 x 1013 to 2.25 x 1014Al/cm2, were studied by means of Rutherford back-scattering spectroscopy and 12C(d,p)13C nuclear reaction analysis; using a 0.94MeV D+ beam in the channelling geometry. Disorder on both the Si and C sub-lattices was measured simultaneously via the Rutherford back-scattering and nuclear reaction yield data. The relative disorder on both sub-lattices obeyed a non-linear dependence upon ion fluence that was consistent with a model based upon simple defect accumulation and a direct-impact defect-stimulated process for amorphization. At low ion fluences, the relative disorder on the C sub-lattice was higher than that on the Si sub-lattice. Isochronal annealing at up to 870K revealed the existence of 3 distinct recovery stages at about 350, 520 and 650K for low to intermediate damage levels. In highly damaged samples, where a buried amorphous layer was produced, the onset of a fourth recovery stage appeared above 800K. Similar recovery behaviors on both the Si and C sub-lattices suggested the occurrence of some coupling of the recovery processes for Si and C defects.

Damage Evolution and Recovery on Both Si and C Sub-lattices in Al-Implanted 4H–SiC Studied by Rutherford Back-Scattering Spectroscopy and Nuclear Reaction Analysis. Y.Zhang, W.J.Weber, W.Jiang, A.Hallén, G.Possnert: Journal of Applied Physics, 2002, 91[10], 6388-95