Extended Defects Created by Light Ion Implantation in Ge

The effect of the implantation temperature in the range room temperature - 300oC has been studied in hydrogen and helium implanted germanium at high fluence and in the energy range of few tens of keV with either conventional implantation or plasma based ion implantation. The microstructure of the as-implanted Ge samples has been studied by Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and/or Transmission Electron Microscopy. For H-implanted Ge, small (001) and {111} platelets and {113} defects are nucleated at RT. With increasing the implantation temperature, microcracks, cavities and plate-like cavity clusters are created as well. The formation of these types of defects is ascribed to the interplay between dynamic and kinetic effects occurring during the implantation. As for He implanted Ge, a continuous cavity layer is formed whatever the implantation temperature in the range studied.