Abstract
A significant reduction in the density of end-of-range (EOR) defects was achieved in BF + 2 implanted (111)Si by the formation and growth of a polycrystalline NiSi 2 overlayer in samples annealed at 850-900°C. In contrast, no apparent reduction in the density of EOR defects was found in BF + 2 implanted silicon with no NiSi 2 layer or with an epitaxial NiSi 2 overlayer, subjected to the same heat treatment. The significant reduction in density of the EOR defects was correlated to the grain growth of thin polycrystalline NiSi 2 overlayer. The availability of both polycrystalline and epitaxial NiSi 2 on BF + 2 implanted (111)Si made a direct comparison of the effects of different structures of the same silicide on the removal of the EOR defects possible.