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US4617066A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process of making semiconductors having shallow, hyperabrupt doped regions by implantation and two step annealing

Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1984-11-26
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Granted: 1986-10-14
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Expires: 2004-11-26
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Abstract

Abstract A method for producing hyperabrupt P+/- or N+/- regions in a near-surface layer of a substantially defect free crystal, using solid phase epitaxy and transient annealing. The process for producing a hyperabrupt retrograde distribution of the dopant species begins with amorphizing the near-surface layer of a base crystal, and then implanting a steep retrograde distribution of the desired species into the amorphized layer, so that the retrograde distribution lies entirely within the amorphized layer, thereby avoiding channelling effects during implantation. The substantially defect-free structure of the base crystal is restored by annealing the implanted base crystal at a temperature sufficiently high to induce solid phase epitaxial regrowth on the underlying nonamorphized crystal, but at a temperature sufficiently low to avoid significant diffusion of the implanted species. The implanted species is subsequently activated by a rapid thermal annealing process, at a temperature sufficiently high to activate the implanted species, but for a very short time so that long-range diffusion does not occur. In a preferred embodiment, the implanted species is boron, BF2+, phosphorus, or arsenic in the top 0.20 micrometers of a substantially defect-free silicon base crystal, which may be in a bulk form or epitaxially deposited on an insulator substrate such as sapphire.

Inventors

  • 👤 Prahalad K. Vasudev

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 03:53
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P30/00; H10P30/20; H10P30/202; H10P30/204; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/2921; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3204; H10P14/3211; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/38; H10P14/3822; H10P30/208; H10P30/21; H10P30/212; H10P30/225; H10P30/226; H10P30/28; H10P95/00; H10P95/90; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/024; Y10S148/061

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim 208 words
A process for preparing a shallow, hyperabrupt interface between an undoped layer and a layer doped with a rapidly diffusing, activated species, in a crystalline near-surface layer of a base crystal, comprising the steps of: amorphizing the near-surface layer of the base crystal to produce an amorphized layer of the underlying base crystal; implanting a steep retrograde distribution of a rapidly diffusing implanted species into the amorphized layer, the retrograde distribution residing substantially entirely within the amorphized region, said step of implanting to occur at a temperature of the base crystal whereat the implanted species is essentially diffusionally immobile in the amorphized layer; annealing the base crystal at a first annealing temperature sufficiently high to achieve solid phase epitaxial growth in the amorphized layer on the crystalline portion of the base crystal, whereby the amorphized layer is recrystallized, the first annealing temperature being sufficiently low that the implanted species is substantially diffusionally immobile in the recrystallizing layer; and annealing the base crystal at a second annealing temperature greater than the first annealing temperature, for a time sufficient to activate the implanted species but not to permit large scale diffusion of the implanted species, thereby producing a shallow, hyperabrupt interface in the crystalline near-surface region of the base crystal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 208 words
A process for preparing a shallow, hyperabrupt interface between an undoped layer and a layer doped with a rapidly diffusing, activated species, in a crystalline near-surface layer of a base crystal, comprising the steps of: amorphizing the near-surface layer of the base crystal to produce an amorphized layer of the underlying base crystal; implanting a steep retrograde distribution of a rapidly diffusing implanted species into the amorphized layer, the retrograde distribution residing substantially entirely within the amorphized region, said step of implanting to occur at a temperature of the base crystal whereat the implanted species is essentially diffusionally immobile in the amorphized layer; annealing the base crystal at a first annealing temperature sufficiently high to achieve solid phase epitaxial growth in the amorphized layer on the crystalline portion of the base crystal, whereby the amorphized layer is recrystallized, the first annealing temperature being sufficiently low that the implanted species is substantially diffusionally immobile in the recrystallizing layer; and annealing the base crystal at a second annealing temperature greater than the first annealing temperature, for a time sufficient to activate the implanted species but not to permit large scale diffusion of the implanted species, thereby producing a shallow, hyperabrupt interface in the crystalline near-surface region of the base crystal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 11 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the base crystal is silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the implanted species is selected from the group consisting of boron, BF 2 + , phosphorus, and arsenic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the maximum concentration of the implanted species is about the maximum solubility of the implanted species at the second annealing temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the amorphized layer is about 0.20 micrometers in thickness.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the first annealing temperature is from about 550° C. to about 650° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the second annealing temperature is from about 1000° C. to about 1150° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said step of amorphizing the near-surface layer further comprises implanting germanium ions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 57 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the step of implanting further comprises a first and second step of implanting ions so as to damage said base crystal structure with said first step of implanting occurring at a first energy and dose current and said second step of implanting ions occurring at a second energy and dose current.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 25 words
The process of claim 8 wherein said step of amorphizing is accomplished using an ion dose current of less than 1 microamp per square centimeter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 9 wherein said ions comprise silicon or germanium.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 103 words
A process for producing a controlled distribution of an activated, rapidly diffusing, implanted species within the near-surface layer of a base crystal, comprising the steps of: damaging the near-surface layer of the base crystal to alter its normal structure to reduce the diffusivity and implant channelling of the implanted species, thereby forming a treated layer; implanting the implanted species within the treated layer in said desired controlled distribution; recrystallizing the base crystal of the treated layer to its normal crystalline structure; and activating the implanted species, thereby leaving the base crystal with the controlled distribution of the implanted species in an activated form.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 103 words
A process for producing a controlled distribution of an activated, rapidly diffusing, implanted species within the near-surface layer of a base crystal, comprising the steps of: damaging the near-surface layer of the base crystal to alter its normal structure to reduce the diffusivity and implant channelling of the implanted species, thereby forming a treated layer; implanting the implanted species within the treated layer in said desired controlled distribution; recrystallizing the base crystal of the treated layer to its normal crystalline structure; and activating the implanted species, thereby leaving the base crystal with the controlled distribution of the implanted species in an activated form.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process of claim 12, wherein said step of damaging includes amorphizing the near-surface layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process of claim 12, wherein the controlled distribution is a hyperabrupt retrograde distribution.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 30 words
The process of claim 12, wherein the step of recrystallizing includes heating the base crystal at a first annealing temperature to cause solid phase epitaxial growth of the treated layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of claim 12, wherein the step of activating includes heating the base crystal to a second annealing temperature.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 113 words
A process for producing a hyperabrupt retrograde distribution of an implanted species in a silicon base crystal, comprising the steps of: amorphizing a depth of about 0.20 micrometers of the silicon crystal; implanting the dopant species selected from the group consisting of boron, BF 2 + , phosphorus, and arsenic so that a retrograde distribution of the dopant species lies entirely within the amorphized layer; annealing the implanted base crystal at a temperature of from about 550° C. to about 750° C. to achieve solid phase epitaxial growth; and annealing the implanted base crystal at a temperature of from about 1000° C. to about 1150° C. to achieve activation of the implanted species.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 113 words
A process for producing a hyperabrupt retrograde distribution of an implanted species in a silicon base crystal, comprising the steps of: amorphizing a depth of about 0.20 micrometers of the silicon crystal; implanting the dopant species selected from the group consisting of boron, BF 2 + , phosphorus, and arsenic so that a retrograde distribution of the dopant species lies entirely within the amorphized layer; annealing the implanted base crystal at a temperature of from about 550° C. to about 750° C. to achieve solid phase epitaxial growth; and annealing the implanted base crystal at a temperature of from about 1000° C. to about 1150° C. to achieve activation of the implanted species.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 25 words
The process of claim 17, wherein the first annealing is conducted at a temperature of about 600° C. for a time of about 30 minutes.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 25 words
The process of claim 17, wherein the second annealing is conducted at a temperature of about 1100° C. for a time of about 1 second.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 16 words
The process of claim 17, wherein said amorphizing step is accomplished by implanting Si + ions.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-10-13 1990-04-14 1990-10-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-10-13 1994-04-14 1994-10-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-10-13 1998-04-14 1998-10-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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