Surface physics, thin films

Study of Zn implanted silicon oxide films

V. V. Privezentsev^a, A. P. Sergeev^a, A. A. Firsov^b, V. S. Kulikauskas^b, E. E. Yakimov^c, E. P. Kirilenko^d, A. V. Goryachev<sup>d

a</sup> Scientific Research Institute for System Analysis of the National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow, Russia
^b Lomonosov Moscow State University, Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow, Russia
^c Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High-Purity Materials RAS
^d Institute of Nanotechnologies of Microelectronics, Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract: This paper presents the results of studying the composition, structure, and properties of amorphous SiO$_x$ film obtained by electron beam evaporation. This film was implanted by Zn ions with energy of 40 keV and a dose of 3 $\cdot$ 10$^{16}$ cm$^{-2}$. Then, annealing was carried out in air at temperatures from 400 to 800$^\circ$C with a step of 100$^\circ$C for 40 min at each stage. It has been found that, after implantation, metal Zn nanoclusters with a size of about 10 nm are formed on the surface and in the near-surface layer of silicon oxide. During annealing, the implanted layer becomes enlightened, since metallic Zn gradually oxidizes to transparent phases of its oxide ZnO and silicide Zn$_2$SiO$_4$. After annealing at 700$^\circ$C, ZnO nanoclusters and surface craters were revealed on the surface and in the subsurface layer of the SiO$_2$ film.

Keywords: silicon oxide film, electron beam evaporation, Zn implantation, thermal oxidation, nanoclusters, ZnO.

Received: 12.02.2023
Revised: 01.03.2023
Accepted: 01.03.2023

DOI: 10.21883/FTT.2023.04.55311.17

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