It was shown how the annealing kinetics of dislocation loops in ion-implanted material were affected by the proximity of a free surface. Extrinsic {111} faulted loops, produced by ion implantation and annealing, were used. They were situated at various depths below the wafer surface by chemically removing the surface. The size distribution, as well as the original depth and the depth after additional annealing in vacuum, were measured by means of transmission electron microscopy. The experimental data revealed a pronounced effect of the proximity of the free wafer surface, and agreed quantitatively with a previous modified Ostwald-ripening model.

M.Seibt, Y.L.Huang, B.Plikat: Solid State Phenomena, 1997, 57-58, 377-82