HYDROGENATION OF HIGH-CONCENTRATION ARSENIC-DOPED SILICON USING RADIO-FREQUENCY HYDROGEN PLASMA

n-type layers in silicon with high carrier concentrations have been fo rmed by high-dose (1 x 10(15) - 1 x 10(16) cm(-2)) As-ion implantation and subsequently 950 degrees C-annealing. The n-type layers containin g many As clusters were exposed to radio-frequency hydrogen plasma for 30 min. While the hydrogenated samples had the same As-atom concentra tion profile as the as-annealed samples, the carrier concentration pro files approached the As atom concentration profile with increasing sub strate temperature. The activation energy obtained from the Arrhenius plot of the carrier concentration agreed well with that of the diffusi vity of H atoms in silicon. Thus, the increase in the carrier concentr ation is a result of H atoms reacting with As clusters.