Strain-induced drift of interstitial atoms in SiC implanted with helium ions at elevated temperature

The effects of temperature on helium implanted SiC were investigated through X-ray diffraction measurements. At low fluence and elevated temperature, dynamic annealing occurs resulting from point defect recombination. At high fluence, the dynamic annealing taking place in the near surface region is concomitant with the formation of a thin and deep highly strained region resulting from the accumulation of interstitial atoms drifted to the deep damaged region under the actions of strain gradient and temperature.