Quantifying Implantation-Induced Damage and Point Defects with Multislice Electron Ptychography

Here, we use multislice electron ptychography to quantify damage introduced by ion implantation of Er into 4H-SiC. Comparing reconstructed volumes from experiment (each 2000 nm³) along the implantation direction, the crystal damage is quantified and compared to pristine SiC. Using simulations, we establish that the implantation-induced static displacements limit both Er dopant and silicon vacancy detection. The corresponding damage in the experiment is found to occur up to a depth of 100 nm and is significantly deeper than expected from implantation simulations, ignoring crystallography. Beyond this depth, we show that silicon vacancies can be identified within the sample volume and can be used to measure their local strain. Overall, these results underscore the power of multislice electron ptychography to quantify the impacts of implantation and as a tool to help guide electronic device process optimization.