A new tool for nondestructive monitoring of ion implantation

We describe recent research designed to assess the potential of charged particle beams as an implant-monitoring tool. The technique currently under development, based on positron annihilation spectroscopy, is totally nondestructive, sensitive to implant doses as low as 10/sup 9/ cm/sup -2/, and most importantly, can be tuned to obtain depth-resolved information. A collaborative project between the Surrey Ion Beam Centre and researchers at the University of Bath is underway, aimed at developing a tool suitable for use in the semiconductor industry. A prototype instrument is described, together with preliminary measurements using a laboratory based instrument. Applications to other vacancy-mediated processes, and the value of the new instrument in a research and development environment is discussed.