A TEM investigation of the lattice defects and exfoliation in hydrogen-implanted CdTe

This study focuses on characterizing the defects associated with 400 keV hydrogen-implantation of CdTe, at a dose of 1 × 1016 H+ cm−2 to 5 × 1016 H+ cm−2, with subsequent annealing. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a hybrid diffraction technique, large-angle convergent-beam electron diffraction (LACBED), were used in the characterization process. Extended defects resulting from the hydrogen-implantation and annealing process include dislocations, microcracks and bubbles. Microcrack and bubble formation occurs on the cleavage planes of CdTe. Exfoliation is achieved at the higher implantation dose. High-resolution electron microscopy was used in the microstructural analysis of the microcracks. LACBED of the implanted material containing bubbles revealed a highly strained lattice with evidence of lattice distortion in-plane and in the direction of implantation.