iThemba LABS Plasma Source Ion Implantation Plasma Source Ion Implantation

Plasma Source Ion Implantation (PSII) is a process by which ions are accelerated to a target at energies high enough to bury them below the target's surface. Depending on the application, the acceleration energies can range from a few keV to MeV. PSII places the target inside the ion source itself. No ion beam is extracted and none needs to be manipulated or focused. High voltage negative pulses applied to the target attract positive ions in the plasma which naturally strike all parts of the target at normal incidence (the optimal angle for ion implantation). The PSII process can be used to deposit such overlay coatings as diamond-like carbon, with a degree of mixing at the interface that ensures good adhesion. Also, recent studies have demonstrated the ability of PSII to operate in the low-energy regime, without wafer charging effects, thereby providing a novel method for fabricating ultra-shallow semiconductor junctions.