Visualization and modeling of impurity atom migration for superdiffuision in semiconductors

Radiation-enhanced superdiffusion in two-layered structures, comprised of an impurity overlayer and a semiconductor substrate, subjected to electron beam irradiation is modeled and visualized using computer graphics animation. The important and experimentally observed large sticking probabilities of impurities at the wafer surface were modeled in the algorithm, and the animation was found to behave as expected under irradiation. Programming of the animation algorithm was performed using an object modeling technique. The animation generated a continuous display of radiation-enhanced superdiffusion that was qualitatively consistent with experimental observations, thereby facilitating understanding of the superdiffusion process. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.