Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2011
A cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy study has been performed on SIMOX wafers prepared using three sequential low dose (6 x 1017 cm2) oxygen implantations. After each implant the wafers were annealed using rapid thermal processing at temperatures up to 1360°C for times of 1 to 5 minutes. The TEM results show that, although low dislocation densities are obtained, oxygen precipitate dissolution is incomplete for these conditions. Therefore, longer annealing times will be required. In addition, lower increments of oxygen dose are recommended to approach dislocation-free superficial silicon layers.