Sheet resistivity of silicon wafers implanted with a high current machine

Abstract

Silicon wafers, as used in the integrated circuits and semiconductor device industry, have been implanted with all the common dopants using Eaton Corporation's commercially available “NV” series of high current implanters. Most detailed studies of the implanted wafers have focused on using arsenic and boron as dopants since the transport of these dopants in silicon has been found to be more compatible with the trend towards shrinking device dimensions. Four point probe measurements have been taken on implanted wafers with subsequent annealing to indicate the quality and effect of the implant. The variation of sheet resistance with dose and energy have been studied using a machine in standard condition over the range of 10 14 − 10 16 ions/cm 2 and over an energy range of 5–180 keV for arsenic and boron implants into bare wafers and wafers with screen oxides. Dose control at low doses in the Eaton High Current Implanter has been studied over a range of 10 10−10 13 ions/cm 2 using MOS devices and other measurements. Repeatability of the machines has been obtained by tracking the manufacture of over one hundred machines for nearly three years. With the use of an Eaton Standard Test Implant Procedure for each machine before shipment, it has been shown that the dose repeatability can be as good as 2% (including furnace and four point probe variations) for machine to machine. The repeatability within a single machine was found to be better than 0.5%. Arsenic ion beams have shown excellent independence of end station pressure, as may occur during photoresist outgassing or controlled gas leaks. Boron beams have a higher electron capture cross-section than other commonly used beams and require a dose control compensation for high end station pressure implants to give agreement with the low pressure regime. In all cases, dose uniformity across each wafer has also been measured. The variation of uniformity with implant parameters as well as the annealing conditions and target surface properties have been studied.