English

Abstract

Ion beam processing of materials in general and semiconductors in particular, started with ion implantation in semiconductors; first used by Ohl at Bell Labs in 1952 toimprove the electrical characteristics of silicon point contact diodes by implanting H, He, N and Ar ions.The improvement was obvious but it was caused by surface damage and notthe ion implantation. However, in the process, ion implantation had an entry and slowly it became popular among the scientists and the technocrats. Thus, over the last six decades, demands continued for new and improved materials and devices that has pushed ion implanter to expand to ion beam technology. In the semiconductor industry alone, the processes have evolved so much so that in today’s world, there are morethan 4000 ion implanters in the IC fab lines apart from otherion beam-assisted processing machines. Ion beam deposition techniques, ion beam lithography, ion beam etching, ion beammilling are all ion beam beam-assisted techniques that arebeing extensively used in semiconductor industries. In this backdrop, it was thought that a compilation of uses of allthese techniques together with relevant tools of analysis toserve as a guide to the semiconductor scientists and technologists for a glimpse of the ongoing efforts being madein this direction. Fortunately enough, Indian research is not lagging in use of all these modern day technologies that will be evident as the reader will go from one article to the other of this special volume. Defence Science Journal, 2009, 59(4), pp.328-328 , DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.59.1530