Susceptor assisted microwave annealing for recrystallization and dopant activation of arsenic-implanted silicon

Abstract

The increasing need for quicker and more efficient processing techniques motivates the study of the use of a single frequency applicator microwave cavity, along with an alumina-coated SiC susceptor, as an alternative to current post-implantation processing. The extent of Si recrystallization and repair of the damage caused by arsenic implantation into Si is determined by cross-section transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Dopant activation is evaluated by sheet resistance measurements. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy is used to compare the extent of diffusion that results from such microwave annealing with that experienced when using conventional rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The results show that, compared to susceptor-assisted microwave annealing, RTA caused undesired dopant diffusion. The SiC-alumina susceptor plays a significant role in supplying heat to the Si substrate and also acts as an assistor that helps a high-Z dopant, like arsenic, to absorb the microwave energy, using a microwave loss mechanism, which is a combination of ionic and dipole losses.