The role of point defects generated in the crystalline region in ion beam induced epitaxial crystallization of silicon

Abstract Ion beam induced epitaxial crystallization of the outer part of a buried amorphous silicon layer is studied following defect generation into the near-surface crystalline region by 2.5 keV Ar+ ion bombardment. It is shown that mobile defects generated as far as 10 nm at least from the amorphous-crystalline interface effectively stimulate crystallization.