No CrossRef data available.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 March 2011
Ion implantation can produce open volume defects in silicon by one of twomethods, either by H or He implantation followed by annealing to create aband of nanocavities and also by direct implantation to reasonably highdoses, which results in a vacancy excess region at depths less than abouthalf the projected ion range. This paper reviews three interesting aspectsof open volume defects. In the first case, the very efficient gettering offast diffusing metals to nanocavities formed by H-implantation isillustrated. In addition, the non-equilibrium behaviour of Cu3Siprecipitation and dissolution at cavities is examined. The second exampletreats the interaction of irradiation-induced defects with nanocavities,particularly preferential amorphisation at open volume defects andsubsequent cavity shrinkage. The final example illustrates the coalescenceof excess vacancies into small voids on annealing and the use of getteringof Au to detect such open volume defects.