Interface and precipitation effects in solid phase epitaxy of Sb implanted amorphous Si

Abstract
The solid phase epitaxial growth of amorphous silicon implanted with Sb has been investigated by channeling and transmission electron microscopy over a wide Sb concentration range. The amorphous-crystal interface velocity increases with concentration up to about 5×1020 at/cm3 above which it stops increasing, apparently even slightly decreasing. At these high concentrations, amorphous agglomerates of apparently Sb-rich regions are formed in the amorphous layer and the amorphous-crystal interface appears to roughen. It is suggested that these agglomerates are responsible for the decrease in regrowth velocity and are precursors of Sb precipitates observed in the crystalline structure at higher concentration.