Formation of buried oxide layers by high dose implantation of oxygen ions in silicon

Buried implanted oxide layers have been formed by high dose implantation of oxygen ions of the order of 1 × l0¹⁸−2 in silicon. The effects of dose at a given energy, and energy for a given peak concentration, on the distribution profile of oxygen have been studied. An approximately Gaussian distribution is observed at doses contributing less than the stoichiometric requirement of oxygen for the formation of silicon dioxide. A saturation in the oxygen peak concentration is reached when the stoichiometric requirement is exceeded. The excess implanted oxygen results in a broadening of the stoichiometric implanted oxide layer. A consequent reduction in the interface damage is observed. Other parameters being equal, at higher substrate temperatures the interface damage is decreased. For a given peak concentration, the implanted oxide is buried more deeply with increasing ion energy. Infra-red absorption characteristics of the implanted oxide are almost identical to those of thermal oxide layers grown in a dry oxygen ambient. The implanted oxide layer exhibits also an extremely high resistivity compared to the substrate material. Department of Electronics, University of Kent,Canterbury,Kent,U.K.     

Vertical bipolar transistors on buried silicon nitride layers

The letter reports on the integration of vertically operating n-p-n-bipolar transistors with base widths of about 1 µm in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures. Nitrogen ion implantation at substrate temperatures of 550°C and subsequent SiCl4epitaxy provide SOI films with excellent crystalline quality. Conventional bipolar diffusion processes have been applied in order to fabricate diodes and vertical bipolar transistor arrays on thus isolated epitaxial layers. The leakage current of SOI diodes exceeds the value for bulk devices only by a factor of 2. The transistors exhibit emitter current gains of up to 100 and emitter-collector breakdown voltages of up to 35 V.     

Charge-sheet model for silicon carbide inversion layers

The charge-sheet model for metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) inversion layers is extended to silicon carbide. The generalized model is based on an analytical solution of the Poisson equation for the case of incomplete ionization of dopant impurities and incorporating Fermi-Dirac statistics. The results are compared with the conventional charge-sheet model which assumes complete impurity ionization and nondegenerate statistics. It is found that, at room temperature and for gate voltages in weak and moderate inversion, the present model predicts higher inversion-layer charge density at a given gate voltage. However, the relationship between the inversion charge and the surface Fermi potential is essentially independent of the degree of impurity ionization. In strong inversion or at temperatures above ~600 K, the differences between the two models are small. A formula is given for the threshold voltage as a function of the impurity ionization energy. The effects of several different interface state energy distributions on inversion charge are investigated. It is found that a slowly-varying interface-state density has an effect on threshold voltage of a MOSFET similar to that of a fixed oxide charge, while an interface-state density that increases at least exponentially with energy has the effect of lowering the field-effect mobility and transconductance     

Vacancy model of micropipe annihilation in epitaxial silicon carbide layers

Kinetic processes of annihilation (healing) of a micropipe threading into a growing layer from a substrate-seed are considered in terms of the vacancy model of heteropolytype epitaxy of silicon carbide we previously suggested (Fiz. Tekh. Poluprovodn., 39, 296 (2005); 41, 641 (2007)). A relationship is found between the growth rate of an epitaxial film, vacancy lifetime, and defect layer width at which the micropipe is healed. Both kinds of vacancies, of carbon and silicon type, are taken into account. In addition, a simplified linear model of the process of micropipe healing is suggested. The relationship between the micropipe diameter r ₀ and the defect layer width l* is determined in terms of this model: l* = r ₀(G/g), where G is the layer growth rate and g is the vacancy velocity, which yields l* ≈ 6r ₀ for actual growth conditions.     

Redistribution of erbium during the crystallization of buried amorphous silicon layers

The redistribution of Er during its implantation in silicon at doses close to the amorphization threshold and its subsequent solid-phase epitaxial (SPE) crystallization is investigated. The formation of a buried amorphous (a) layer is discovered at Er doses equal to 5×10¹³ and 1×10¹⁴ cm⁻² using Rutherford backscattering. The segregation of Er in this case takes place inwardly from the two directions corresponding to the upper and lower boundaries of the buried αlayer and leads to the formation of a concentration peak at the meeting place of the two crystallization fronts. A method for calculating the coordinate dependence of the segregation coefficient k from the distribution profiles of the erbium impurity before and after annealing is proposed. The k(x) curve exhibits a drop, whose width increases with decreasing Er implantation dose. Its appearance is attributed to the nonequilibrium nature of the segregation process at the beginning of SPE crystallization. Fiz. Tekh. Poluprovodn. 33, 652–655 (June 1999)     

Electron transport properties of quantized silicon carbide inversion layers

Electron transport properties in SiC quantized inversion layers have been studied by means of a Monte Carlo procedure. It has been observed that the contribution of polar-optical phonon scattering produces a significant influence of the effective-electric field on the high longitudinal field transport regime, this being the main difference of SiC with respect to standard Si inversion layers. The energy- and momentum-relaxation times have been calculated and the results suggest that electron velocity overshoot effects are less important than in Si metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors. The electron mobility is not very different from their silicon counterparts, but the saturation velocity is higher.     

On the behaviour of buried oxygen implanted layers in highly doped GaAs

Highly doped GaAs substrate material (doping level 10¹⁸ cm⁻³) has been implanted with 350 keV O⁺ ions with doses of 10¹⁴ – 10¹⁶ cm⁻² to produce high resistivity layers which are stable at high temperatures. LPE growth of flat GaAs epilayers onto the implanted wafers was achieved up to doses of about 1 × 10¹⁵ O⁺/cm² and 5 × 10¹⁵O⁺/cm² for RT and 200°C implants, respectively. N-o-n and p-o-n structures (o: oxygen implanted) were fabricated in which breakdown voltages of up to 15 V were obtained. Examples for application of this isolation technique are shown.     

Formation and control of boron buried layers in silicon using anexcimer laser

Buried layers have been shown to enhance performance of Si MOSFETs in the deep submicrometer regime. Epitaxial growth methods such as atomic layer doping or ion implantation are currently used for the formation of such doping profiles. In this work, we propose an alternative approach, using a XeCl (λ=308 mn) pulsed excimer laser, for the fabrication of pulse-shaped B profiles in Si. This process affords simplicity, versatility, and independent control over the depth, width, and the height of the B buried layer     

Composition analysis of oxidized buried SiC layers in silicon from EFTEM images

Energy filter transmission election microscopy (EFTEM) is used to investigate the composition of a Si/SiO_x/SiC multilayer structure formed by ion-beam synthesis. The implanted dose is used as a standard for the quantification of the elemental maps. The carbon redistribution upon the oxidation of SiC is monitored.     

Optimisation of implantation conditions for the formation of buried SiO2 layers in silicon

The substrate temperature dependence of the IR transmission spectra of buried silicon dioxide layers formed by high dose ion implantation (~1017) was investigated for an ion dose ranging from 1017 to 1018 ions/cm2 at 250°C of 16O+ at 100 keV energy. The IR spectra indicate that the silicon/silicon-dioxide/silicon can be obtained after thermal annealing treatment of the implanted sample for 10 mm in hydrogen ambient at 1100°C.     

Polymeric synthesis of silicon carbide with microwaves.

The aim of this work is conducting polymeric synthesis with microwaves for producing beta-SiC. A polymeric precursor was prepared by means of hydrolysis and condensation reactions from pheniltrimethoxysilane, water, methanol, ammonium hydroxide and chloride acid. The precursor was placed into a quartz tube in vacuum; pyrolysis was carried out conventionally in a tube furnace, and by microwaves at 2.45 GHz in a multimode cavity. Conventional tests took place in a scheme where temperature was up to 1500 degrees C for 120 minutes. Microwave heating rate was not controlled and tests lasted 60 and 90 minutes, temperature was around 900 degrees C. Products of the pyrolysis were analyzed by means of x-ray diffraction; in the microwave case the diffraction patterns showed a strong background of either very fine particles or amorphous material, then infrared spectroscopy was also employed for confirming carbon bonds. In both processes beta-SiC was found as the only produced carbide.     

C.M.O.S. devices fabricated on buried SiO2 layers formed by oxygen implantation into silicon

Buried SiO2, layers were formed by oxygen-ion (14O+) implantation into silicon. The impurity distribution of the oxygen-implanted silicon substrate was analysed by auger spectroscopy. The epitaxially-grown silicon layer on this substrate showed a good monocrystalline structure, and a 19-stage c.m.o.s. ring oscillator exhibited high performance in operation.     

Electric-field-shielding layers formed by oxygen implantation into silicon

The electric-field-shielding effect was found in a layer consisting of a mixture of polycrystalline silicon and silicon oxide formed by oxygen ion implanatation. The layer was formed between the buried SiO2 and the upper Si layer, which improved characteristics for MOSFETs fabricated using SIMOX (separation by implanted oxygen) technology. By forming this layer, the threshold voltages for the MOSFETs were almost independent of substrate bias. Drain-to-source breakdown voltages for the p-MOSFETs and n-MOSFETs were raised to 250 V and 180 V, respectively.     

The role of oxygen in electron cyclotron resonance etching of silicon carbide

The electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) etching of silicon carbide (SiC) was studied using SF₆ + O₂ based plasma. The role of O₂ was studied by varying the O₂ flow rate while keeping the total gas flow constant. It was found that oxygen enhances the etch rate at low O₂ fraction through releasing more fluorine atoms, while lowers the etch rate at high O₂ fraction by diluting fluorine atoms and forming an oxide-like layer. The etched surface roughness was found to be affected by the surface oxidation and oxygen ion related physical ion bombardment. The role of oxygen in chemical etching of carbon was found to be insignificant. In general, the etched surface is smooth and free of micromasking effect that can arise from Al contamination and C rich layer.     

Influence of the interface-state density on the electron mobility in silicon inversion layers

The electron inversion-layer mobility in a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, as a function of the transverse electric field, has been studied in the temperature range 13–300K for different interface-state densities. Experimental data are in excellent agreement with a simple semi-empirical model. However, the term attributed by other authors to phonon scattering depends on the interface-state density, even at high temperatures, and becomes negative at low temperatures. These facts are shown to be a consequence of the dependence of coulomb scattering on the transverse electric field.     

Characterization of buried SiO2 layers formed by ion implantation of oxygen

Oxygen has been ion implanted (200 keV) into silicon at doses ranging from 2E17/cm² to 2E18/cm². The peak oxygen concentration occurs at a depth of 0.5 μm. These doses produce peak oxygen concentrations which are below and above the concentrations necessary to form stoichiometric SiO₂. If the oxygen concentration exceeds stoichiometry, a buried SiO₂ layer is formed with a thin superficial silicon layer on the surface. This superficial silicon layer has been used as a seed for growing single crystal silicon epi. The resulting Silicon on Insulator (SOI) structure has been characterized by Rutherford backscattering, cross-sectional TEM, AES, optical microscopy, spreading resistance probe, Hall effect and infrared transmission measurements. The effects of dose, substrate temperature during the implant, and subsequent anneal conditions have been examined.     

The influence of oxygen on the formation of donor centers in silicon layers implanted with erbium and oxygen ions

A model of the formation of donor centers introduced by a combined implantation of Er⁺ and O⁺ ions into silicon with subsequent thermal annealing is developed. These centers are multiparticle erbium-oxygen complexes ErO_n with n≥4. The competing process of formation of electrically inactive oxygen clusters is taken into account. The model makes it possible to describe the dependence of the activation coefficient for the donor centers on the implantation dose of oxygen ions and, also, the effects of the oxygen ion implantation and annealing temperature on the concentration profiles of the donor centers.     

Semi-insulating silicon carbide layers obtained by diffusion of vanadium into porous 4H-SiC

Semiconductors - Semi-insulating silicon carbide layers have been obtained by diffusion of vanadium into porous 4H-SiC. The diffusion was performed from a film deposited by cosputtering of silicon...     

The manufacture and performance of diodes made in dielectricallyisolated silicon substrates containing buried metallic layers

Results are reported on the performance of diffused p⁺n diode structures manufactured on a novel silicon-on-metal-on-insulator (SMI) substrate. This substrate consists of a thin single crystal silicon layer on top of a tungsten disilicide covered oxidized silicon wafer. The diodes show excellent characteristics with an exponential current-voltage (I-V) relationship over nine orders of magnitude and an ideality factor of 1.005, under forward bias conditions. The reverse leakage current is low with a minority carrier lifetime of typically 500 μs. The diodes show no evidence of stress induced defects or degraded performance due to W migration during processing. The SMI substrate is therefore shown to be compatible with standard manufacturing processes     

C-V and C-t analysis of buried oxide layers formed by high-dose oxygen implantation

For silicon-on-insulator devices with very thin active layers, the quality of the buried oxide layer and its interface with the top silicon layer can significantly affect device performance. This study focuses on the characterization of buried oxide layers formed by high-dose oxygen implantation into Si wafers. Capacitance-voltage (C-V) and capac-itance-time (C-t) measurements were performed on the epilayer/buried oxide/substrate capacitors. From high frequency C-V measurements, data on fixed oxide charge, inter-face traps, and donor densities were obtained for both buried oxide interfaces, as well as the thickness of the buried oxide layer. From C-t measurements, minority carrier generation lifetimes were calculated for thin depletion regions on both sides of the buried oxide. The data is correlated to changes in implanted dose, anneal temperature, and anneal time.