Evolution of arsenic in high fluence plasma immersion ion implanted silicon: Behavior of the as-implanted surface

High fluence (>10¹⁵ ions/cm²) low-energy (3 ⁺ on (1 0 0) silicon was investigated, with the focus on stability and retention of the dopant. At this dose, a thin (∼3 nm) amorphous layer forms at the surface, which contains about 45% arsenic (As) in a silicon and oxygen matrix. The presence of silicon indicates that the layer is not only a result of deposition, but predominantly ion mixing. High fluence PIII introduces high concentration of arsenic, modifying the stopping power for incoming ions resulting in an increased deposition. When exposed to atmosphere, the arsenic rich layer spontaneously evolves forming arsenolite As₂O₃ micro-crystals at the surface. The micro-crystal formation was monitored over several months and exhibits typical crystal growth kinetics. At the same time, a continuous growth of native silicon oxide rich in arsenic was observed on the exposed surface, suggesting the presence of oxidation enhancing factors linked to the high arsenic concentration at the surface.