Athermal annealing with rapid thermal annealing system and method

Abstract

A method and system to achieve shallow junctions using Electromagnetic Induction Heating (EMIH) that can be preceded or followed by a low-temperature Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) process. The methods and systems can use, for example, RF or microwave frequencies to induce electromagnetic fields that can induce currents to flow within the silicon wafer, thus causing ohmic collisions between electrons and the lattice structure that heat the wafer volumetrically rather than through the surface. Such EMIH heating can activate the dopant material. Defects in the silicon structure can be repaired by combining the EMIH annealing with a low-temperature (approximately 500-800 degrees Celsius) RTA that causes minimal diffusion, thus minimizing the difference between the as-implanted junction depth and the post-annealing junction depth when compared to annealing methods that only use traditional RTA.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.