Abstract

Ion implantation is one of the more common processes used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices to modify the electrical, mechanical, optical, or chemical properties of the host material. It is an inherently violent process, causing damage to the crystal lattice in the form of displaced atoms and lengthened or broken chemical bonds through elastic collisions between the implanted ions and the host nuclei. The resultant structure possesses optical properties that differ from the preimplant crystalline material. These changes in optical properties make optical techniques very attractive for studying the damage resulting from the implantation process. We have investigated infrared ellipsometry as a possible technique for the determination of ion implantation damage. We specifically studied the spectroscopic aspects of ellipsometric measurements in the 8-11-μm spectral band and determined that implantation doses as low as 10¹⁶ cm⁻² could be determined.

© 1989 Optical Society of America