Epitaxial recrystallization of ion-implanted CoSi₂

The epitaxial recrystallization of ion-implanted CoSi₂ has been studied as a function of implanted ion (C, Si, Ge, Co, Ni, Cu). Implant doses were sufficient to amorphize a {reversed tilde} 50 nm surface layer of a {reversed tilde} 100 nm CoSi₂ film grown epitaxially on (111) Si. Recrystallization of the amorphized surface layer proceeded epitaxially from the original amorphous/crystalline interface in a layer-by-layer manner. The rate of solid-phase epitaxial growth (SPEG) for all implanted ions, including Co and Ni, was retarded with respect to Si-implanted CoSi₂. For Co- and Ni-implanted CoSi₂, it is proposed that an implantation-induced metal-atom excess results in the population of vacant interstitial octahedral sites during epitaxial recrystallization with a concomitant reduction in SPEG rate.