Defect formation during erbium implantation and subsequent annealing of Si:Er

Influence of oxygen and erbium ion concentration on structural and optical properties of Czochralski silicon have been studied by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), Rutherford back scattering (RES), X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence (PL). In the case of ion implantation without amorphization of silicon, the optimal oxygen concentration was found to reach the maximal Er-related PL intensity and prevent formation of structural defects detectable by RES and X-ray diffraction techniques. In the case of ion implantation followed by amorphization of silicon, it was demonstrated that, in spite of the presence of detectable structural defects there are erbium implantation doses permitting an increase in the PL intensity in these layers as compared with the intensity in nonamorphizated layers. The PL in these layers at 80 K is determined by erbium-oxygen complexes of cubic symmetry.