A study was made, of the effect of excimer laser annealing upon a high-quality Si0.982C0.018 pseudomorphic layer, by using Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy, Raman spectrometry and X-ray diffraction techniques. The substitutional C concentration was found to decrease, as a function of fluence, when 50 laser pulses were used at room temperature or in vacuum. The evolution of the strain profile was studied by means of X-ray diffraction, and dynamic diffraction simulations. Most of the strain was released after melting, and new Fourier-transform infra-red and Raman peaks appeared around 830/cm. This was attributed to the formation of SiC micro-precipitates and V-O asymmetrical centers. The proposed mechanism of substitutional C removal involved SiC precipitation, and a reaction (between V-O and substitutional C) which formed volatile CO. In the case of pulsed laser-induced epitaxy, it was predicted that the highest substitutional C content would be obtained by 1 laser pulse in an O-free ambient. It was concluded that pulsed-laser induced epitaxy was suitable for the localized patterning of ultra-shallow buried SiC junctions.

C.Guedj, G.Calvarin, B.Piriou: Journal of Applied Physics, 1998, 83[8], 4064-8