As device dimensions continue to be scaled, incorporation of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) as mainstream complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology also increases. This experiment set out to further investigate the effect of the surface Si/buried oxide (BOX) interface on the formation and dissolution of extended defects in SOI. UNIBON(R) wafers were thinned to 300, 700, and 1600 Angstrom. Si+ ion implantation was performed from 5 to 40 keV with a constant, nonamorphizing dose of 2 X 10(14) cm(-2). Inert ambient furnace anneals were performed at 750 degreesC for times of 5 min up to 8 h. Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the evolution of extended defects, as well as to quantify the number of trapped interstitials. It is observed that the surface Si/BOX interface does not enhance the dissolution rate of extended defects unless greater than or equal to 15% of the dose is truncated by the BOX. Further, no reduction in the trapped interstitial concentration is seen unless greater than or equal to 6 % of the dose is truncated. It is concluded that the surface Si/BOX interface does not serve as a significant sink for interstitial recombination, as long as the interstitial profile is mostly confined to the surface Si layer. (C)2002 American Vacuum Society.