Defect Control during Epitaxial Regrowth by Rapid Thermal Annealing

Abstract

Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) with tungsten halogen lamps provides excellent regrowth of silicon layers damaged by ion implantation. In addition to minimizing dopant redistribution, the inherent advantage of this technique is good control of temperature gradients. The latter is instrumental in reducing the density of extended defects in the annealed samples. In contrast, solid phase laser annealing, which involves steep temperature gradients, always leaves interstitial dislocation loops and point defect clusters. We present a comparative study of crystal quality following laser processing and incoherent light annealing as well as furnace annealing of As, P and B ion implanted Si wafers.