Temperature dependence of hydrogen implant on passivation of argon implant damage in silicon

The influence of substrate temperature during atomic hydrogen treatment of Ar-implant damaged Si surfaces has been studies using the electrical properties of subsequently fabricated Schottky contacts. The recovery of the Schottky electrical characteristics toward the ideal is found to occur only at substrate temperatures above 150ºC. However, the Schottky barrier height itself is pinned by a very thin surface layer less than 100 nm thick, and the hydrogen passivation itself appears confined to the subsurface damage.