Novel technique for RTP annealing of compound semiconductors

We introduce for the first time a novel rapid thermal processing (RTP) unit called Zapper^TM, which has recently been developed by MHI Inc. and the University of Florida for high temperature thermal processing of semiconductors. This Zapper^TM unit is capable of reaching much higher temperatures (>1500 °C) than conventional tungsten-halogen lamp RTP equipment and achieving high ramp-up and ramp-down rates. We have conducted implant activation annealing studies of Si⁺-implanted GaN thin films (with and without an AlN encapsulation layer) using the Zapper^TM unit at temperatures up to 1500 °C. The electrical property measurements of such annealed samples have led to the conclusion that high annealing temperatures and AlN encapsulation are needed for the optimum activation efficiency of Si⁺ implants in GaN. It has clearly been demonstrated that the Zapper^TM unit has tremendous potential for RTP annealing of semiconductor materials, especially for wide bandgap compound semiconductors that require very high processing temperatures.