Ion beam synthesis of 3C–(Si1–xC1–y)Gex+y solid solutions

In the present study cubic 3C–(Si1–xC1–y)Gex+y solid solutions were created by using ion beam synthesis. 3C–SiC thin layers grown on on-axis Si (111) substrates by Molecular Beam Epitaxy were implanted with Ge in order to incorporate Ge atoms in the Silicon Carbide lattice. Two series of experiments were carried out. The implantation energy was chosen to be 140 keV and 200 keV and the implantation dose 1 × 1017 cm–2 and 4.7 × 1016 cm–2 respectively. The samples were annealed under rapid thermal annealing conditions in the temperature range between 800 °C and 1300 °C. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate an enlargement of the lattice constant. The observed higher absorption in the implanted layers could be a sign of a band gap reduction as a consequence of Ge incorporation.