Apparatus involving pulsed electron beam processing of semiconductor devices

An apparatus for thermal processing of selected localized regions of a semiconductor, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) beam generator means for generating a short duration pulsed electron beam, said electron beam having a pulse duration in the range of 10.sup.-9 to 10.sup.-1 second, fluence in the range of 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.2 cal/cm.sup.2 and electron energy which is sufficiently high to permit thermal processing of the semiconductor and is sufficiently low as not to create atomic displacements in the semiconductor;
• and
• (b) position means on which the semiconductor is supported, said semiconductor being disposed in a path along which said electron beam propagates, said short duration pulse impacting upon the selected regions of the semiconductor and momentarily elevating the temperature of the selected regions above a temperature at which the thermal processing effects occurs for a time period of less than one second.