Activation of arsenic-implanted silicon using an incoherent light source

We report that continuous, incoherent light from a xenon arc lamp can be used to completely activate implanted Si (100) samples (75As+:100 keV, 1×1015 cm−2) with negligible dopant redistribution and excellent uniformity (sheet resistivity variation less than ±2% over a 3-in.-diam wafer). An entire 3-in. wafer could be activated in only about 10 sec without relative motion of wafer and light beam. The extent to which implant damage was removed by the incoherent light anneal is qualitatively indicated by the carrier mobilities which were within 10% of single-crystal values.