Crystallization kinetics of boron- and germanium-implanted 〈100〉 Si: a balance between doping and strain effects

Electrical and strain arguments were used to explain the differences in growth rate observed for silicon solid phase epitaxy in the presence of electrically active dopants and neutral impurities. In the case of dopants, strain effects seem to be absent or at least to play a negligible role, while for neutral impurities strain seems to be very important. The purpose of this work was to study the role of dopants in the presence of intentionally strained silicon films. The studies were performed by comparing the growth rates measured in samples implanted with boron and germanium, and the growth rates obtained in samples implanted with only germanium or only boron. With respect to intrinsic silicon, boron produces a rate enhancement, germanium a decrease and boron-germanium a slight increase. The results are interpreted by taking into account the strain and by assuming that strain and electrical effects are independent.