Evaluation of Pre-Amorphous Layer by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

We have employed Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) as a measurement technology to non-destructively and simply measure pre-amorphous layers made by ion implantation. In this paper, we examine the differences between amorphous film. thickness measured by cross-section-TEM and SE, aiming at a highly precise evaluation of pre-amorphous layers created during shallow junction formation at energies below 10 keV. Our data indicates that the amorphous layer thickness measured with SE also includes a portion of the heavily-damaged crystal near the amorphous-crystal interface, where EOR defects are located after annealing. For example, thickness of amorphous layers formed by helium in plasma doping tools can be measured with this technology.