Cathodic arc ion implantation for semiconductor devices

Cathodic arc ion implantation was used to make n+-p junction diodes and n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors. Antimony, with a dosage in the range of 6X1014 to 4X1015 ions/cm2, was implanted as the n-type dopant into p-type <100> oriented silicon with a resistivity in the range of 2-5Ω cm. THe implantation voltage applied to the substrate was approximately -20 kV. Regular thermal oxidation and photolithography techniques were used in making the devices. The I-V characteristics of both diodes and transistors and the reverse breakdown of the n+-p junction were found to be comparable to the devices made by diffusion under similar conditions. The standard deviation of the sheet resistance of the implanted layer across a 3 in. wafer was found to be less than 4% of the average value. The implantation dosage and distribution characteristics were estimated by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) measurements. The experimental results were found to agree with numerically calculated values. The ion charge state of the arc plasma was extracted by comparing the experimental results and numerical results. 25 refs., 10 figs