Comparison of Solid Phase Epi (SPE) non-melt to Liquid Phase Epi (LPE) melt laser annealing for 22nm node n+ USJ formation

Arsenic, Phosphorus and Antimony dopants for n+ USJ formation was studied for junction quality comparing nonmelt to melt laser annealing without and with BF₂ or In HALO structures. When junction leakage was high >2E-2A/cm² no reliable sheet resistance could be determined. We observed between 21nm to 70nm of liquid phase dopant diffusion with the melt process and dopant activation levels were lower than expected due to the very short annealing and cool-down quenching rates with laser annealing requiring longer dwell times. Also, cold implants and C co-implants with laser annealing resulted in very high junction leakage as did the additional of either a BF₂ or In HALO structure.