Storage and sub-atmospheric delivery of dopant compositions for carbon ion implantation

A method for delivering a dopant gas composition for ion implantation comprising:

• actuating controlled flow of one or more carbon-containing dopant gases in response to a predetermined vacuum condition;
• actuating controlled flow of a diluent gas composition in response to the predetermined vacuum condition;
• introducing the one or more carbon-containing dopant gases into an ion source chamber;
• introducing the diluent gas composition into the ion source chamber;
• ionizing the one or more carbon-containing dopant gas sources to produce carbon ions;
• and
• implanting the carbon ions into a substrate;
• wherein the one or more carbon-containing dopant gas sources interacts with the diluents gas composition to reduce deposits along the carbon ion source without producing a substantial reduction in carbon ion beam current in comparison to pure CO.

A gas composition comprising:

• a carbon-based material comprising carbon monoxide;
• an inert diluent gas mixture comprising xenon (Xe) and hydrogen (H2), wherein the Xe and the H2 are contained in an effective amount, said effective amount being in a volume ratio of Xe:H2 from about 0.02 to about 0.20;
• and
• wherein said (Xe+H2):CO is contained in a volume ratio ranging from about 0.10 to about 0.30.