Ion-implantation-induced amorphization of In_xGa_1-xP alloys as functions of stoichiometry and temperature

Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry/Channeling and Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure measurements have been combined to investigate the amorphization of In_xGa_1-xP alloys at 15 and 300 K for selected stoichiometries representative of the entire stoichiometric range. The amorphization kinetics differs considerably for the two temperatures: at 15 K, the amorphization kinetics of In_xGa_1-xP is intermediate between the two binary extremes while at 300 K, In_xGa_1-xP is more easily amorphized than both InP and GaP. Direct impact and stimulated amorphization both contribute to the amorphization process at 15 K. Dynamic annealing via thermally induced Frenkel pair recombination reduces the influence of direct impact amorphization at 300 K such that the stimulated amorphization is dominant. At this temperature, stimulated amorphization in ternary In_xGa_1-xP alloys is supported by the structural disorder inherent from the bimodal bond length distribution.