Evidence for the formation of polycrystalline silicon by argon implantation and its passivation by atomic hydrogen

Abstract
Evidence is presented through electrical measurements for the presence of microcrystallites in the surface damage layer resulting from the implantation of 20 keV Ar at a moderate dose (1013 cm−2). Low-energy (0.4 keV) atomic hydrogen is found to passivate the polycrystalline grain boundaries resulting from the argon implant. Extremely high Schottky barrier heights on p-type Si, up to 0.88 eV, are also found to result from the implantation of both argon and atomic hydrogen.