Annealing environment effects in solid-phase epitaxial regrowth of Fe-implanted Al2O3

Abstract

Samples of c-axis Al2O3 were implanted with Fe (160 keV, 4 × 1016 cm-2) at liquid nitrogen temperature and then thermally annealed at temperatures of 900, 960 and 1100°C in an oxidising environment (flowing O2) or in a reducing environment (flowing 96% Ar, 4% H). Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, ion channeling, and transmission electron microscopy of the crystals revealed differences in the annealing characteristics of the implanted layers that depended on the annealing environment. These results indicate the importance of the annealing atmosphere in determining the characteristics of epitaxially regrown layers in ion-implanted and thermally annealed Al2O3. © 1990.