Phase formation and field emission properties of SiC/Si heterostructures formed by MEVVA implantation

High dose carbon implantation into Si with a MEVVA ion source was performed to form SiC/Si heterostructures. By deconvoluting the FTIR spectra into gaussian components corresponding to amorphous SiC and crystalline SiC phases, the implant energy, dose and annealing temperature dependence of phase formation properties of SiC in these structures were studied. It was found that there are critical energies and critical doses at which there are abrupt increases in the fraction of the crystalline SiC phase formed. This was discussed in terms of the ion beam induced crystallization effect. Results of electron field emission measurements showed that a remarkably low turn-on field of about IV/μm could be achieved from these planar SiC/Si structures prepared with appropriate implant and annealing conditions.