(Invited) Advances in Si and Ge Millisecond Processing: From SOI to Superconductivity and Carrier-Mediated Ferromagnetism

Abstract

This paper reviews the advances that millisecond thermal processing using flash lamps and lasers brings to the processing of the most advanced semiconductor materials, namely silicon and germanium, thus enabling the fabrication of novel microelectronic structures and materials. It will be demonstrated how such developments can translate into important practical applications leading to a wide range of technological benefits. Opportunities in ultra-shallow junction formation for silicon-on-insulator, superconducting Ge and Si, and diluted ferromagnetic Ge, along with the technical reasons for using annealing times in the ms range are discussed in the context of state-of-the-art materials processing. Whereas these examples are based on solid phase processing, the more sophisticated approach regards on working with the liquid phase at the surface of solid substrates. As a recent example the controlled surface melting of a Ge enriched silicon substrate is reported.