Optimized implant dose and energy to fabricate high-quality patterned SIMOX SOI materials

Patterned silicon-on-insulator (SOI) materials have been fabricated using the patterned separation by implantation of oxygen (SIMOX) technique with doses of 0.2–1.5×1018 cm−2 at energies of 50–160 keV through a pre-patterned hard mask. The microstructures of the synthesized materials were analyzed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The results reveal that high-quality patterned SOI materials with a high degree of surface planarity and low defect density transitions between the SOI and bulk regions can be obtained by the low-dose and low-energy SIMOX technique with the optimization of the implant dose and energy. The physical mechanisms behind the quality improvements of the patterned SOI materials are discussed. These planar and low defect density patterned SIMOX SOI materials are desirable for system-on-a-chip and novel structural device applications.