Microsecond time-scale Si regrowth using a line-source electron beam

Abstract

A line‐source electron beam annealing system has been used to regrow ion‐implanted amorphous layers on (100) Si within dwell times of 150–600 μs. The results indicate solid‐phase epitaxial regrowth at interface velocities as high as ∼3×10⁷ Å/s. This solid‐phase regrowth leads to minimum diffusion, in contrast to pulsed annealing in the liquid phase. The regrowth crystalline quality as measured by backscattering/channeling is nearly as good as for virgin Si. Line‐source annealing can lead to reductions in processing times by factors of 10⁴–10⁶, compared to present cw spot annealing. The observed regrowth is shown to agree closely with calculation when oven regrowth data are extrapolated to temperatures near the melting point of crystalline Si. Our results indicate no large reduction of the melting point for amorphous Si, in constrast to a recent report.