Ion implantation induced stoichiometric imbalance in SiO2

Carrier trapping was studied to understand the displacement damage caused by ion implantation in SiO₂. Implantation causes local departures from stoichiometry due to different recoil behavior of Si and O atoms. To avoid chemical interaction with the oxide network noble gas implants were used. It is shown that a fraction of the defects is not removed even after extended high temperature treatment. Data on isochronal annealing steps and on the spatial distribution of the non-stoichiometry are given.