Surface-Charge-Layer Sheet-Resistance Measurements for Evaluating Interface RF Losses on High-Resistivity-Silicon Substrates

• Published in: IEEE transactions on microwave theory and techniques Vol. 60; no. 11; pp. 3542 - 3550
• Main Authors: Evseev, S. B., Nanver, L. K., Milosaviljevic, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-11-2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied classical electromagnetism; Applied sciences; Argon; Argon implantation; Circuit properties; coplanar waveguides (CPWs); Diffraction, scattering, reflection; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electrical resistance measurement; Electromagnetic wave propagation, radiowave propagation; Electromagnetism; electron and ion optics; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); high-resistivity silicon (HRS); Logic gates; Loss measurement; metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MISFETs); Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); microwave attenuation; Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits; Physics; Radio frequency; Radiocommunications; Radiowave propagation; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; sheet resistance; Silicon; Substrates; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MISFETs); Surface charge; Wave attenuation; Voltage current curve; Surface layer; Microwave; Metallizing; MISFET; Microelectronic fabrication; high-resistivity silicon (HRS); sheet resistance; Transmission line; Electromagnetic wave propagation; Sheet resistivity; s parameter; Argon implantation; Electromagnetic wave attenuation; microwave attenuation; Coplanar waveguides; coplanar waveguides (CPWs); Voltage capacity curve
• ISSN: 0018-9480; 1557-9670
• DOI: 10.1109/TMTT.2012.2215050

Surface-charge-layer sheet resistance (SCL- R SH ) current-voltage differential measurements on ring-gate metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor structures are proposed as an alternative to S -parameter transmission line and capacitance-voltage measurements to evaluate the interface RF losses on high-resistivity-silicon substrates. Argon implantation is employed to amorphize the silicon surface, thus increasing the SCL- R SH . The RF attenuation decreases as R SH increases, if other microwave losses (substrate, metallization, and radiation losses) are kept at the same low level. Full suppression of the surface losses is achieved for high-dose implants, giving SCL- R SH ~ 6.0·10 7 Ω□, minimum RF losses and voltage independent behavior of both parameters.