Semiconductor processing by plasma immersion ion implantation

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) is a material modification technique for treating the near-surface regions of materials by implanting energetic ions from a plasma which surrounds the sample. In the last decade, this technique has experienced a rapid development. Research and development of plasma immersion ion implantation has focused in two main fields, treatment of metals for improved tribological performance, and modification of semiconductors. The present paper describes briefly the fundamentals of PIII, reviews the historical development, and discusses examples in the semiconductor field, including formation of ultra-shallow junctions, trenchwall doping, poly-silicon passivation, and separation by plasma ion implantation of oxygen (SPIMOX).