Precipitate coarsening and Co redistribution after ion implantation in silicon

Abstract The coarsening of CoSi 2 precipitates and the microstructural evolution of (111) Si implanted with 200 keV Co + ions at 350°C and a fluence of 1 × 10 16 cm −2 were investigated by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy in the range of annealing temperatures 600 ≤ T ≤ 1100°C. Ostwald ripening of the CoSi 2 precipitates and the redistribution of Co in the concentration depth profiles were observed to be correlated. The development of various depth layers with characteristic precipitate arrangements was found. Formation and coarsening of cavities were also observed for annealing temperatures T ≥ 850°C in depth layers where precipitates dissolved during the coarsening.