Defect production and annealing due to high-energy ion implantation: I. Silicon

Abstract Changes in defect production in a silicon single-crystal irradiated with nitrogen ions over an energy range of 1.7 to 16 MeV at depths less than the mean projected range have been studied. It is shown that the degree of damage to the subsurface region of a crystal is determined by the competition of two processes: the migration of defects from the depth to the crystal surface and their annealing due to an increase in the mobility of defect-forming atoms and vacancies. Depending on ion energy, the atomic number of the ion and the irradiation dose, both strong defect production and recovery of the crystal structure are observed.