A new mechanism of pipeline defect formation in CMOS devices

Pipeline defects, also known as "diffusion pipes", were widely reported in bipolar devices. They were recently reported to occur in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices. We report a new mechanism of the formation of pipeline defects in CMOS devices. Moderate dose (2E13-2E14 cm/sup -2/) arsenic implants, under certain process conditions, can result in pipeline defects causing leakage between implanted regions. Enhanced diffusion of phosphorus along oxidation induced defects formed as a result of implant damage is proposed as a mechanism for the formation of pipeline defects. A low temperature furnace recrystallization step in inert ambient prior to subsequent high temperature processing was found to be critical to eliminating this defect mechanism.<
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