Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages to ion beam implantation as a surface modifying approach?

Answer 1

First of all, Ion beam implantation is a process in which the physical , chemical or electrical properties of a solid target can be changed by accelarating the ions of one element on to the surface of the target.

ADVANTAGES:

1. Offers more flexibility than diffusion
2. Here precise control of dose and depth profile can be done.
(depth: it is the range of the ions that get deposited)
3. The process is very fast.
4. it is a low temperature process.
5. there is an wide selection of masking materials.
6. it is less sensitive to surface cleaning process.
7. this process has excellent lateral dose uniformity.

DISADVANTAGES:
1. It has more impurity content than that of diffusion.
2. During Ion implantation, the crystal structure can be damaged or even destroyed by the energetic collision cascades.
3. Not all the damages can be corrected by annealing.
4. it is a quite expensive process.
5. Often uses highly toxic gases such as Arsine (AsH₃) and phosphine (PH₃).