NSF Award
9424597
*** 9424597 Ryding This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will continue the design and implementation of an in-situ Rutherford spectroscopy system for monitoring surface contamination of Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Separation by Implantation of Oxygen SIMOX materials. In Phase I a miniature Rutherford backscattering (RBS) system was designed fabricated and tested. The RBS system utilized the implantation system's existing high current, high energy oxygen ion beam as the primary backscatter source, with theoretically predicted and obtained sensitivity enhancement. Signatures of specified contaminants were graphed as the final task of the Phase I feasibility demonstration. Advantages of (SOI) SIMOX material include low power, low voltage integrated circuitry, radiation-hardened memories for space applications, and high (2 300 C) temperature/cryogenic applications. The purity of the active silicon and buried oxide layers is of keen interest for the success of the technology. Early analysis and detection of impurity content in the silicon layer is desired for cost reduction purposes as well as impurity source identification. The Phase II proposal incorporates more elegant design features for attachment to production implantation equipment. Pulsed channel measurements of the backscattered signal are planned for absolute analysis of contamination concentrations. Surface contamination analysis of specially fabricated 10A thin film metallic samples as well as manufactured SIMOX SOI is incorporated in the Phase II work plan. Global commercialization of this product is an anticipated result of successful Phase II research. Ion implantation, in general, as well as the silicon electronic industry should benefit from the development of an in-situ, miniature RBS system for contamination detection. Used in an ion implant process as a quality control feedback tool, it can be packaged and sold for existing and new implanters. ***
