Gettering layer for oxygen accumulation in the initial stage of SIMOX processing

A cavity layer or nano-bubble layer introduced by He implantation before the oxygen implantation collects the implanted oxygen and increases the oxygen concentration. The average size and density of the oxygen precipitates formed in the initial stage of the separation-by-implanted-oxygen (SIMOX) process is conform with the size and density of the cavities pre-formed by He implantation and annealing. The gettering ability of the cavity layer for oxygen is directly related to the area of the internal surface of the cavities. A nano-bubble layer accumulates oxygen in a very narrow range occurring between the damage maximum, DP, and the mean projected ion range, RP. Such a nano-bubble layer is most efficient in oxygen gettering due to their larger area of the internal surface and the small size of the oxide precipitates initially formed at the bubbles.