Advanced ion implantation applications for leading edge transistor design

Ion implantation is crucial to successful integration of integrated circuit process flows and has been so for more than 30 years, typically used in steps such as Well and Source/Drain formation. However, beyond those "classical" applications, ion implantation offers a wealth of opportunity directly in transistor design optimization, enabling improvements in defect control, device performance, and device yield. Here we discuss illustrating examples such as low-temperature implantation in Logic and Memory devices, line-edge roughness reduction, and series resistance reduction by work-function control through use of non-traditional implant-species. In IC manufacturing the change from furnace diffusion-based doping process to ion implantation greatly accelerated the growth of the IC industry to the size as we know it today. Similar expectations can arguably be made for Photovoltaics. We will discuss cell efficiency improvements demonstrated and potentially reachable if solar cell junctions are formed by ion implantation rather than furnace diffusion as well as the realizable cost reductions through elimination of process steps.