New Interference Fringes Generated by Epitaxial Layers of Semiconductors and SIMOX (Oxygen-Ion-Implanted-Si) Wafers

Truly new interference fringes generated by SIMOX (oxygen-ion-implanted silicon) wafers and hetero-epitaxial layers of semiconductors were originally and clearly observed. Generation of the new fringes was caused by interference between a part of the incident light pencil reflected from the top surface of a specimen and the light scattered from the hetero-interface after refraction of the other part of the pencil. The reflection from the top surface is fairly large due to the very high refractive index (more than 25% at most semiconductor surfaces) and the intensity of light scattered from the interface is strong enough for it to act as a plane source with coherency.