Quantitative dopant profiling of laser annealed focused ion beam-prepared silicon p-n junctions with nanometer-scale resolution

Abstract

Silicon p-n junction specimens have been prepared by focused ion beam milling for examination using off-axis electron holography. By using 28 nS pulsed XeCl excimer laser irradiation we have reduced the total electrically "inactive" thickness in these specimens from 142 to 5 nm. A platinum layer has been sputtered onto the specimen surfaces to remove the build up of charge from the region of interest during examination. Subsequently, a value of the built in potential has been determined directly from a phase image which is consistent with theory. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.