Synthesis of a thin, buried dielectric layer to form a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material by high dose oxygen implantation (SIMOX – Separation by IMplanted Oxygen) is becoming an important technology due to the advent of high current (200 mA) oxygen implanters. Recently, reductions in defect densities from 109 cm−2 down to 107 cm−2 or less have been reported. They were achieved with a final high temperature annealing step (1300°C – 1400°C) in conjunction with: a) high temperature implantation or; b) channeling implantation or; c) multiple cycle implantation. However, the processes and conditions for reduction and elimination of precipitates and defects during high temperature annealing are not well understood. In this work we have studied the effect of annealing temperature on defect and precipitate reduction for SIMOX samples which were processed first with high temperature, high current implantation followed by high temperature annealing.
