# US 2014/0197862 A1 · Methods for characterizing shallow semiconductor junctions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197862 A1 - Document ID: US20140197862A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/157,373 - Filed: 2014-01-16 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17 - Assignees: Imec Vzw - Applicants: IMEC vzw - Inventors: Jean-Luc Everaert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197862A1 ## CPC - H10P 74/207: {Electrical properties, e.g. testing or measuring of resistance, deep levels or capacitance-voltage characteristics} - G01R 31/2648: {Characterising semiconductor materials (testing of materials or semi-finished products G01R31/2831; testing during manufacture H10P74/00)} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract The disclosed technology generally relates to methods of characterizing semiconductor materials, and more particularly to methods of characterizing shallow semiconductor junctions. In one aspect, the method of characterizing shallow semiconductor junctions comprises providing a substrate comprising a shallow junction formed at a first main surface, where the shallow junction is formed substantially parallel to the first main surface. The method additionally comprises providing a dielectric layer on the first main surface. The method additionally comprises iterating, at least twice, a combination of processes including providing a respective charge on a predetermined area of the dielectric layer via a charge applicator, and measuring a corresponding junction photovoltage for the predetermined area. The method further comprises deriving at least one of an average hole/electron mobility or a dose of active dopants in the substrate corresponding to the predetermined area, based on the respective charges and the corresponding junction photo voltages. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of characterizing shallow semiconductor junctions, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising a shallow junction formed at a first main surface, the shallow junction being formed substantially parallel to the first main surface; providing a dielectric layer on the first main surface; iterating, at least twice, a combination of processes including: providing a respective charge on a predetermined area of the dielectric layer via a charge applicator, and measuring a corresponding junction photovoltage for the predetermined area; and deriving at least one of an average hole/electron mobility or a dose of active dopants in the substrate corresponding to the predetermined area, based on the respective charges and the corresponding junction photovoltages. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising removing or neutralizing deposited charges from the predetermined area of the dielectric layer, before iterating the combination of processes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein deriving the at least one of the average hole/electron mobility or the dose of active dopants for the predetermined area comprises performing a linear fit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein performing the linear fit includes fitting using at least one of the relations expressed by 1/Rs=μp·(q·Dp−Qc) and 1/Rs=μn·(q·Dn+Qc), wherein Qc is the respective charge deposited on the dielectric layer, Rs is the sheet resistance of the upper junction layer, Dp/Dn is an actual dose of holes/electrons before providing the respective charges, μp/μn is the average hole/electron mobility in the p+/n+ upper layer of the shallow junction, and q is the unit of electrical charge. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer and the first main surface are in direct contact. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the respective charges are provided by corona charging. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the shallow junction is a p+n type junction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the shallow junction is an n+p type junction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the respective charges are positive. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the respective charges are negative. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises mapping characteristic information for a shallow junction on a substrate, wherein mapping includes iterating the combination of processes on and deriving the at least one of the average hole/electron mobility or a dose of active dopants from a plurality of predetermined and disjoint areas of the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a union of the predetermined and disjoint areas corresponds to the first main surface of the substrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the respective charge includes passing a charge applicator comprising a metallic wire at a fixed potential over the substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the respective charge includes blowing a corona charge using a corona jet, wherein the corona jet comprises a needle centered in a tube configured to blow the corona charge locally on the substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, after providing the respective charge, measuring using a Kelvin probe to determine whether the amount of respective charge has changed, and thereafter measuring the corresponding junction photovoltage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A computer program adapted for performing the processes of deriving at least one of an average hole/electron mobility or a dose of active dopants for a predetermined area of a substrate comprising a shallow junction, from respective charges and corresponding junction photo voltages as used and/or derived in iterating the combination of processes of claim 1, when run on a computer.