Influence of the process sequence and thermal budget on the strain of Si:C stressor layers formed by ion implantation

We have studied n+ Si:C stressor formation by C or C₇H₇ ion implantation on blanket wafers for different integration schemes (so-called post Source/Drain versus post Source/Drain Extension integration). Using sheet resistance and High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HR-XRD) fitting parameters as the main metrics, we studied the influence of different implant/anneal parameters as well as the process sequence itself. For both integration schemes, suitable processing conditions were identified which result in acceptable sheet resistance and strain levels.