Ion-beam synthesis and characterization of narrow-gap A3B5 nanocrystals in Si: Effect of implantation and annealing regimes

The process of InAs and GaSb nanoprecipitates creation in Si matrix using high-fluence ion implantation of species from groups V and III followed by thermal treatment has been investigated. We have studied in detail a complex system of defects and nanocrystals in implanted layers, have compared a damage level for both systems, evaluated the influence of implantation and annealing regimes on a size of A3B5 nanocrystals and on a defect distribution in implanted layers. The crystalline nature of precipitates was identified by observing Moiré fringe patterns in TEM images, the Moiré period showing a tendency to increase with increasing size of inclusion. A “glowing” effect was observed at the nanocrystal/Si interfaces in the dark-field TEM images of the implanted and annealed samples, this being ascribed to the presence of misfit dislocation networks at the InAs/Si and GaSb/Si interfaces generated as a result of strain relaxation in the highly mismatched A3B5/Si systems. Also we compared our results on structural characterization of “A3B5 nanocrystals–Si matrix” systems with other papers.