Methods utilizing microwave radiation during formation of semiconductor constructions
View Patent ↗Some embodiments include methods in which microwave radiation is used to activate dopant and/or increase crystallinity of semiconductor material during formation of a semiconductor construction. In some embodiments, the microwave radiation has a frequency of about 5.8 gigahertz, and a temperature of the semiconductor construction does not exceed about 500° C. during the exposure to the microwave radiation.
1. A method of forming a semiconductor construction, comprising:
implanting dopant into semiconductor material, the implanting forming damage regions within the semiconductor material; and
simultaneously activating the dopant and repairing the damage regions by exposing the semiconductor material to microwave radiation having a main spectrum wavelength peak at about 5.2 centimeters, a temperature of the semiconductor material not exceeding about 500° C. during the exposure to the microwave radiation.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature does not exceed about 350° C.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the dopant comprises one or more of boron, phosphorus and arsenic.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the implanting is a first implanting and comprises implanting of a first dopant having a first conductivity type;
a second implanting is conducted after the first implanting, and the second implanting comprises implanting of a second dopant having a second conductivity type that is opposite to the first conductivity type; and
the activation of the dopant and the repair of the damage regions occurs after the first and second implantings.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first and second implantings form a p-type region of the semiconductor material directly against an n-type region of the semiconductor material, and wherein the p-type region and the n-type region are together comprised by a p-n diode.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a transistor gate over the semiconductor material prior to implanting the dopant, and wherein the implanting forms conductively-doped source/drain regions aligned with the gate.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising forming metal silicide over and directly against the conductively-doped source/drain regions prior to the activation of the dopant.
8. A method of forming integrated circuitry, comprising:
providing first dopant within semiconductor material of a semiconductor construction;
utilizing a first pulse of microwave radiation having a frequency of about 5.8 gigahertz for a duration suitable to activate only some of the first dopant, while a temperature of the semiconductor material remains at less than or equal to about 500° C.;
after utilizing the first pulse of microwave radiation; providing second dopant within the semiconductor material; and
utilizing a second pulse of microwave radiation having a frequency of about 5.8 gigahertz for a duration suitable to complete activation of the first dopant and to fully activate the second dopant, while a temperature of the semiconductor material remains at less than or equal to about 500° C.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the temperature during the first pulse of microwave radiation remains at less than or equal to about 400° C.; and
the temperature during the second pulse of microwave radiation remains at less than or equal to about 400° C.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the temperature during the first pulse of microwave radiation remains at less than or equal to about 350° C.; and
the temperature during the second pulse of microwave radiation remains at less than or equal to about 350° C.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the semiconductor construction is formed to include phase change material; and
the second pulse of radiation is utilized after the phase change material is incorporated into the semiconductor construction.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the semiconductor construction is formed to include metal silicide; and
the second pulse of radiation is utilized after the metal silicide is incorporated into the semiconductor construction.
13. A method of forming integrated circuitry, comprising the following steps in the listed order:
providing dopant within a semiconductor material;
utilizing a first pulse of microwave radiation having a frequency of about 5.8 gigahertz for a duration suitable to activate only some of the dopant, while a temperature of the semiconductor material remains at less than or equal to about 500° C.;
forming one or more additional materials over the semiconductor material; and
utilizing a second pulse of microwave radiation having a frequency of about 5.8 gigahertz for a duration suitable to complete activation of the dopant, while a temperature of the semiconductor material remains at less than or equal to about 500° C.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein:
the temperature during the first pulse of microwave radiation remains at less than or equal to about 400° C.; and
the temperature during the second pulse of microwave radiation remains at less than or equal to about 400° C.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein:
the temperature during the first pulse of microwave radiation remains at less than or equal to about 350° C.; and
the temperature during the second pulse of microwave radiation remains at less than or equal to about 350° C.
16. The method of claim 13 further comprising incorporating the dopant into a volatile memory cell.
17. The method of claim 13 further comprising incorporating the dopant into a non-volatile memory cell.
18. The method of claim 13 further comprising incorporating the dopant into a diode.