Measurements of the binding energy (Eb) of vacancies to vacancy clusters formed in Si following high-energy ion implantation were reported. Vacancy clusters were created by 2MeV Si implantation to a dose of 2 x 1015/cm2, and annealing. In order to prevent recombination of the excess vacancies with interstitials from the implant damage near the projected range, a Si-on-insulator substrate was used such that the projected range damage was separated from the excess vacancies by the buried oxide. Two excess vacancy regions were observed: one in the middle of the top Si layer (V1ex) and the other at the front Si/buried-oxide interface (V2ex). The rates of vacancy evaporation were measured directly by Au labelling following thermal treatments at temperatures between 800 and 900C for times ranging from 600 to 1800s. The rate of vacancy evaporation from V2ex was observed to be greater than from V1ex. The binding energy of vacancies to clusters in the middle of the Si top layer was 3.2eV, as determined from the kinetics for vacancy evaporation.

Binding Energy of Vacancies to Clusters Formed in Si by High-Energy Ion Implantation. R.Kalyanaraman, T.E.Haynes, O.W.Holland, H.J.L.Gossmann, C.S.Rafferty, G.H.Gilmer: Applied Physics Letters, 2001, 79[13], 1983-5