Combined Analyses of Ion Beam Synthesized Layers in Porous Silicon

High dose ion implantation was used to form polycrystalline silicide films on porous silicon with different native concentrations of light impurities (C and O). Porous silicon layers severalμm thick were implanted with 170 keV Cr$\text{}^{+}$ ions to fluences of 3×10$\text{}^{17}$ ions/cm$\text{}^{2}$ both at room temperature and 450ºC. Similar samples were implanted with 100 keV Co$\text{}^{+}$ ions to fluences of 2×10$\text{}^{17}$ ions/cm$\text{}^{2}$ at room temperature, 350ºC, and 450ºC. The formed silicide compounds were studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, elastic recoil detection, glancing incidence X-ray diffraction, and four point-probe sheet resistance measurements. Selected Co implanted samples were analysed by cross-section transmission electron microscopy. Results show that the light impurities were partially expelled from the forming silicide layer. Combining cross-section transmission electron microscopy with ion beam methods it was possible to show that, in the implanted region, the porous structure collapses and densifies during implantation, but the underlying porous silicon remains intact. The layer structure, as well as the quality and type of the formed silicide, were found to depend on the original impurity level, implantation temperature, and annealing.