Low energy electron-beam-induced recrystallization of continuous GaAs amorphous foils

Continuous amorphous foils produced in compound semiconductor GaAs by implantation of 100 keV Ar+ ions have been recrystallized under electron beam irradiation in a transmission electron microscope at room temperature. Recrystallization was induced in all samples with electron energies ranging from 60–200 keV which are lower than the threshold value (subthreshold) for production of point defects within the crystalline materials. Two different recrystallization processes are observed: solid phase epitaxy for amorphous GaAs foils containing crystallites of nearly 5 nm in diameter, and polynucleation for completely amorphous GaAs foils.