Process for producing infrared emitting device and infrared emitting device produced by the process

Abstract

In order, to manufacture a high-performance infrared-emitting element having high-speed thermal response characteristics and a high infrared emissivity, a bridge (heat-generating) portion having a separation space is formed on a silicon element substrate. The bridge portion is formed to have a thickness of 5 μm or less by doping boron as an impurity by ion implantation with a concentration distribution peak value of 1.5×1019 atoms/cm3 or more, and performing annealing under predetermined conditions for activating the impurity layer. In the infrared-emitting element manufactured in this manner, even if the bridge portion is made thin to improve the thermal response characteristics, the infrared emissivity does not decrease because of a high impurity concentration, and a large temperature modulation width can be obtained. In doping boron as the impurity by ion implantation, the dose is preferably set to 3.0×1014 ions/cm2 or more. To activate the impurity layer upon doping boron, the annealing is performed in the nitrogen gas atmosphere at a temperature of 1,100° C. to 1,200° C. for 5 min to 40 min and further in the wet oxygen atmosphere for about 25 min to 40 min. As a result, the doping concentration of boron by ion implantation and the activation of the impurity layer can be stably increased and enhanced.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.