Controllable fabrication of amorphous Si layer by energetic cluster ion bombardment

Lavrentiev, V.*; Vorliek, V.*; Dejneke, A.*; Chvostova, D.*; Jger, A.*; Vacik, J.*; Jastrabik, L.*; Naramoto, Hiroshi*; Narumi, Kazumasa

We report on the fabrication of an amorphous Si thin layer by means of bombardment of a Si(100) surface using monoenergetic C cluster ions with energies of 50-400 keV. The C cluster implantation produces nanogranules on the surface of the amorphous Si layer, which was detected by atomic force microscopy. According to the spectroscopic ellipsometry and transmission electron microscopy data, the thickness of the amorphous Si layer is shown to increase with the cluster ion energy reaching 30 nm at 200 keV. There is also a thin layer of nanocrystalline Si between the amorphous Si and pristine Si layers.