Rapid thermal annealing in the microsecond regime

Summary form only given. Ion implantation damage annealing and dopant activation for ultrashallow junctions have been explored in a new solid-phase regime. The author reports here on the intermediate regime - solid-phase annealing with total heating times of 30-1000 microseconds. Low energy boron, phosphorus and arsenic implanted samples were cycled with peak temperatures up to the single crystal melting point using either a single cycle, or multiple cycles for increased time at temperature. Activation of all three dopants was achieved with minimal diffusion. Defect evolution and annealing time limitations and mechanisms have been investigated by SIMS, TEM, and in-situ probes. Modeling of the thermal history provides quantitative correlation with dopant and defect behaviors. Preliminary device results and these results suggest that this type of annealing can readily achieve the 20 nm ultrashallow junctions required for the 65 nm NTRS node.