Interface and precipitation effects in solid phase epitaxy of Sb implanted amorphous Si.

The solid phase epitaxial growth of Sb implanted amorphous silicon has been investigated by channeling and TEM techniques over a wide Sb concentration range. The growth velocity increases with concentration up to about 5x10(20) at/cm(3) and then slowly decreases. At these concentrations, amorphous agglomerates of Sb rich regions are formed with a rougher amorphous-crystal interface. It is suggested that these agglomerates are responsible for the decrease in regrowth velocity and are precursors of Sb precipitates observed in the crystalline structure at higher concentration.