Ultra-shallow junctions formed using microwave annealing

Microwave annealing is shown to be viable for achieving low thermal budget formation of ultra-shallow junctions. Regrowth of a 10 nm thick amorphous Si layer that is generated during a Ge amorphization process prior to BF2 or As dopant implantation proceeds at rates up to 0.53 nm/min for BF2 and up to 0.33 nm/min for As at 370 °C. The fraction of electrical activation for implanted dopants is as high as 13% for BF2 and 32% for As with negligible diffusion at 540 °C.