Implementation of temperature-dependent phase switch layer for improved temperature uniformity during annealing
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method of annealing a semiconductor by applying a temperature-dependant phase switch layer to a semiconductor structure. The temperature-dependant phase switch layer changes phase from amorphous to crystalline at a predetermined temperature. When the semiconductor structure is annealed, electromagnetic radiation passes through the temperature-dependant phase switch layer before reaching the semiconductor structure. When a desired annealing temperature is reached the temperature-dependant phase switch layer substantially blocks the electromagnetic radiation from reaching the semiconductor structure. As a result, the semiconductor is annealed at a consistent temperature across the wafer. The temperature at which the temperature-dependant phase switch layer changes phase can be controlled by an ion implantation process.
1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising:
forming a phase switch layer over a semiconductor structure, the phase switch layer is formed of a first material, the phase switch layer having an initial first phase;
processing the phase switch layer to transform the phase switch layer into a second amorphous phase from the initial first phase, wherein the processing comprises
selecting a phase switching temperature, corresponding to a degree of amorphization, at which the phase switch layer switches from the second amorphous phase to a third crystalline phase; and
annealing the semiconductor structure with electromagnetic radiation to heat the semiconductor structure, wherein annealing causes the phase switch layer to switch from the second amorphous phase to the third crystalline phase when the phase switch layer reaches the phase switching temperature, the third crystalline phase substantially blocking additional electromagnetic radiation from reaching the semiconductor structure.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
removing said phase switch layer.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the selected phase switching temperature is equal to at least a desired annealing temperature of the substrate.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said substantially blocking comprises substantially increasing the amount of said electromagnetic radiation that is reflected by said phase switch layer.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said annealing comprises increasing the portion of said phase switch layer that is crystalline as compared to the portion that is amorphous.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the annealing comprises providing an annealing temperature that is slightly above the selected phase switching temperature.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said annealing is a flash annealing process.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said electromagnetic radiation is generated by a Xenon lamp.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein said electromagnetic radiation is generated by a laser.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said annealing process takes place in less than one millisecond.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the phase switch layer undergoes a change in index of refraction at the selected phase switch temperature.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a transistor structure.
13. The method of claim 1 comprises forming an etch stop layer over the semiconductor structure below the switch layer.
14. A method of uniformly activating doping regions of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
doping selected regions of the semiconductor wafer;
depositing a phase switch layer over the semiconductor wafer, the phase switch layer having an initial first phase;
processing the phase switch layer which is over the semiconductor wafer to transform the phase switch layer into a second amorphous phase from the initial first phase, wherein the processing comprises
selecting a phase switching temperature, corresponding to a degree of amorphization, at which the phase switch layer switches from the second amorphous phase to a third crystalline phase, and
implanting ions into the phase switch layer;
annealing the semiconductor wafer with electromagnetic radiation to heat the semiconductor wafer, wherein annealing causes the phase switch layer to switch from the second amorphous phase to the third crystalline phase when the phase switch layer reaches the phase switching temperature, the third crystalline phase substantially blocking additional electromagnetic radiation from reaching the semiconductor wafer; and
removing the phase switch layer.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein said ions are Si + ions.
16. The method of claim 14 further comprising applying an etch stop layer on said semiconductor wafer before depositing said phase switch layer.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising increasing the proportion of reflected electromagnetic radiation from the phase switch layer when the selected phase switching temperature is reached.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein depositing a phase switch layer comprises depositing a polysilicon layer.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein implanting ions into said phase switch layer forms an amorphous silicon region within the phase switch layer.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the amorphous silicon region changes to a crystalline region at the selected phase switch temperature.
21. A method of fabricating a device comprising:
providing a substrate prepared with a feature;
forming a phase switch layer over the feature, the phase switch layer having an initial first phase;
processing the phase switch layer to transform the phase switch layer into a second amorphous phase from the initial first phase, wherein the processing comprises
selecting a phase switching temperature, corresponding to a degree of amorphization, at which the phase switch layer switches from the second amorphous phase to a third crystalline phase; and
annealing the substrate with electromagnetic radiation, wherein annealing causes the phase switch layer to switch from the second amorphous phase to the third crystalline phase when the phase switch layer reaches the phase switching temperature, the third crystalline phase substantially blocking additional electromagnetic radiation from reaching the feature.