Effect of microwave radiation on boron activation

Chemically reactive impurities such as oxygen and fluorine alter the diffusion and activation kinetics of boron during the anneal process. An examination of the role these impurities play during the anneal process indicates important differences between microwave and lamp-based rapid thermal processing (RTP) for low energy implants. The most notable differences for boron diffusion behavior during microwave annealing are: the reversal of the conventional oxygen enhanced diffusion trend; a general trend of enhanced diffusion in the extreme near surface of the silicon, possibly due to the lack of high intensity optical illumination; and the ability of fluorine to eliminate these two effects.