TABLE OF CONTENTS In the previous Chapters, we have reviewed the various techniques used to synthesize semiconductor crystals and thin films. This represented only the first step in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. Several additional steps are necessary before a final product can be obtained, which will be described in this and the following Chapter.
In this Chapter, the discussion will be inspired from the silicon device technology because of its technological predominance and maturity in modern semiconductor industry. We will first describe and model the oxidation process used to realize a silicon oxide film. We will then discuss the diffusion and ion implantation of dopant impurities in silicon to achieve controlled doping, and review the methods used to characterize their electrical properties. Although this Chapter discusses silicon, the methods can be equally applied to all types of semiconducting materials.
The ability to form a chemically stable protective layer of silicon dioxide (SiO 2) at the surface of silicon is one of the main reasons that makes silicon the most widely used semiconductor material. This silicon oxide layer is a high quality electrically insulating layer on the silicon surface, serving as a dielectric in numerous devices, that can also be a preferential masking layer in many steps during device fabrication. In this section, we will first review the experimental process of the formation of a silicon oxide. Then we will develop a mathematical model for it and determine the factors influencing the oxidation. We will then end this...
