Effect of collision cascade density on radiation damage in SiC

The damage accumulation in 6H-SiC bombarded at room temperature with 1.3 keV/amu atomic P+ ions and small cluster ions PFn+ (n = 2 and 4) have been studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in channeling mode. Results show that collision cascade density strongly affects damage buildup in SiC. The cluster ion bombardment of SiC produces more stable defects both near the surface and in the region between the surface and bulk defect peaks than irradiation by atomic ions.