Advantages of AsF/sub 5/ dopant gas in a RF ion source

Arsenic pentafluoride (AsF/sub 5/) has been evaluated as a dopant gas in a high current ion implanter with a magnetically confined, inductively coupled, RF-driven ion source. Performance superior to that obtained with arsine (AsH/sub 3/) dopant gas was demonstrated for beam current, efficiency, tunability, source lifetime, and species transition time. Comparison data are presented for each of these operational parameters. Model-based analysis of these differences which takes into account gas chemistry and source operating conditions is also presented. AsF/sub 5/ has been evaluated in this context in both high pressure and SDS/sup (R)/ gas source alternatives. Results which demonstrate equivalent process performance for each are presented.