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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 June 2011
In this work, the damage formation subsequent to Eu implantation at 300 keV has been investigated by coupling the TEM, XRD and RBS/C techniques. It has been found that GaN exhibits a specific damage buildup in three main steps: (i) clustering of point defects and formation of a network of stacking faults defects in the bulk, (ii) propagation of the planar defect network towards the surface and (iii) breakdown of the surface layer. This occurs through different strain saturation regimes. Around 5x1014 Eu/cm2, the strain along the implantation direction saturates to 0.6%. At higher fluence, whereas the peak at 0.6% is maintained, there is an increase of the strain throughout the implanted layer which probably continues to extend. A second saturation occurs when the stacking fault network reaches the layer surface.