Method of introducing material into a substrate by gas-cluster ion beam irradiation

Abstract

Method of infusing or introducing material into a substrate using a gas cluster ion beam. The method includes maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder and holding a substrate securely within that reduced-pressure environment. A gas-cluster ion beam formed from a pressurized gas mixture including an inert gas and at least one other atomic or molecular specie is provided to the reduced-pressure environment and accelerated. In one embodiment, the method includes irradiating the accelerated gas-cluster ion beam onto one or more surface portions of the substrate to form an infused region or gas-cluster ion-impact region therein by introducing part or all of the atomic or molecular specie into the surface. In another embodiment, the method includes modifying at least one electrical property of the surface of the substrate by irradiating the accelerated gas-cluster ion beam onto one or more surface portions of the substrate.

1 . A method of infusing material into a substrate, comprising:
 maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a substrate having a surface;   holding said substrate securely within said reduced-pressure environment;   providing to said reduced-pressure environment a gas-cluster ion beam formed from a pressurized gas mixture including an inert gas and at least one other atomic or molecular specie;   accelerating said gas-cluster ion beam; and   irradiating said accelerated gas-cluster ion beam onto one or more portions of said surface of said substrate to form an infused region in said substrate by introducing part or all of said at least one other atomic or molecular specie into said surface.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 controlling a penetration depth of said infused region by controlling a beam energy of said accelerated gas-cluster ion beam.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said providing step further comprises:
 delivering said pressurized gas mixture to an expansion nozzle;   flowing said pressurized gas mixture through said expansion nozzle into said reduced-pressure environment to form a jet containing gas-clusters; and   ionizing at least a portion of said gas-clusters to form said gas-cluster ion beam.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inert gas comprises a noble gas. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one other atomic or molecular specie comprises O, N, C, Si, Ge, B, P, or As, or any combination of two or more thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pressurized gas mixture comprises O 2 , N 2 , CO 2 , SiH 4 , SiF 4 , GeH 4 , GeF 4 , B 2 H 6 , BF 3 , PH 3 , PF 5 , AsH 3 , or AsF 5 , or any combination of two or more thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said irradiating step comprises scanning said gas-cluster ion beam across at least a portion of said surface of said substrate. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said irradiating step comprises scanning said at least a portion of said surface of said substrate through said gas-cluster ion beam. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 crystallizing or partially crystallizing said infused region of said surface of said substrate.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 annealing said infused region of said surface of said substrate.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said annealing comprises elevating a temperature of said substrate to 600 degrees C. or less. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is essentially silicon. 
   
   
       14 . A method of infusing material into a substrate, comprising:
 maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a substrate having a surface;   holding said substrate securely within said reduced-pressure environment;   providing to said reduced-pressure environment a gas-cluster ion beam formed from a pressurized gas mixture including an inert gas and at least one other atomic or molecular specie;   accelerating said gas-cluster ion beam; and   modifying at least one electrical property of said surface of said substrate by irradiating said accelerated gas-cluster ion beam onto one or more portions of said surface of said substrate.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said providing step further comprises:
 delivering said pressurized gas mixture to an expansion nozzle;   flowing said pressurized gas mixture through said expansion nozzle into said reduced- pressure environment to form a jet containing gas-clusters; and   ionizing at least a portion of said gas-clusters to form said gas-cluster ion beam.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said inert gas comprises a noble gas. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one other atomic or molecular specie comprises O, N, C, Si, Ge, B, P, or As, or any combination of two or more thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said pressurized gas mixture comprises O 2 , N 2 , CO 2 , SiH 4 , SiF 4 , GeH 4 , GeF 4 , B 2 H 6 , BF 3 , PH 3 , PF 5 , AsH 3 , or AsF 5 , or any combination of two or more thereof. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 annealing said infused region of said surface of said substrate.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said annealing comprises elevating a temperature of said substrate to 600 degrees C. or less. 
   
   
       21 . A method of introducing material into a substrate, comprising:
 maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a substrate having a surface;   holding said substrate securely within said reduced-pressure environment;   providing to said reduced-pressure environment a gas-cluster ion beam formed from a pressurized gas mixture including an inert gas and at least one other atomic or molecular specie;   accelerating said gas-cluster ion beam; and   irradiating said accelerated gas-cluster ion beam onto one or more portions of said surface of said substrate to form a gas-cluster ion-impact region in said substrate by introducing part or all of said at least one other atomic or molecular specie into said surface.