It was noted that As in Si could be electrically activated to beyond (up to 4 x 1021/cm3) its electrical solubility by ion implantation and laser melting. Further annealing decreased this activity to its equilibrium saturation level. In order to characterize the deactivation process, X-ray standing-wave spectroscopy was used, together with Hall effect and secondary-ion mass spectroscopic methods. The results indicated that the As remained in substitutional positions even after 85% of the activation was lost. Thus, deactivation could not be due to As migration to interstitial sites or to large precipitates.

A.Herrera-Gómez, P.M.Rousseau, G.Materlik, T.Kendelewicz, J.C.Woicik, P.B.Griffin, J.Plummer, W.E.Spicer: Applied Physics Letters, 1996, 68[22], 3090-2