Lattice Damage

 

 

As an ion travels through the target it undergoes a series of nuclear collisions and transfers its energy to the target atoms. As the binding energy lattice site is only 10-20 eV, it is easy to displace the target atom making it a second projectile. After many ions have been implanted, an initial crystalline structure is changed to a highly disordered state.

 

If the target temperature is high enough self-annealing will occur and hence repair some or all of the damage as it is generated. Thus the result is temperature dependent. [3]

 

Amount of damage depends on the following factors:

 

 

 

 

Once target atoms have been displaced the following can take place [2]:

 

 

 

 

                     

 

Fig. 5 A plot of the dose required to form an amorphous layer on silicon versus reciprocal target temperature. Arsenic falls between phosphorus and antimony. [3]