Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
Integrated circuit fabrication consists of many processing steps: e.g. lithography, etching, implantation and metallization. Some of these processes are combined with thermal processing. Heat treatments require special attention because previous fabrication steps may be influenced: e.g. dopant profiles may be deteriorated. The amount of interference of an annealing step with a former process is determined by the ratio of the reaction rates (and hence by the difference in activation energies).