Complementary study of the internal porous silicon layers formed under high-dose implantation of helium ions

Abstract

The surface layers of Si(001) substrates subjected to plasma-immersion implantation of helium ions with an energy of 2–5 keV and a dose of 5 × 10¹⁷ cm^–2 have been investigated using high-resolution X-ray reflectivity, Rutherford backscattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The electron density depth profile in the surface layer formed by helium ions is obtained, and its elemental and phase compositions are determined. This layer is found to have a complex structure and consist of an upper amorphous sublayer and a layer with a porosity of 30–35% beneath. It is shown that the porous layer has the sharpest boundaries at a lower energy of implantable ions.