Octodecaborane
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| Properties | |
|---|---|
| Other names | octadecaborane; octadecaboron doicosahydride; octodecaborane; n-Octadecaborane; i-Octadecaborane |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | [21107-56-2] |
| Properties | |
| Molar mass | 216.4 g/mol |
| Appearance | White to off white powder |
| Density | 1.012 g/cm3 |
| Melting point |
110 - 115 °C |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references |
|
Octadecaborane is a molecule formed based on the oxidation of the B9H12- anion or from the B20H18-2 anion. Ions, typically the positive ion B18H22+, can be used as a P type dopant through ion implantation for the manufacture of semiconductors. The molecule is ionized and accelerated, more or less intact (B18Hx+), to the necessary energy to cause it to embed in the substrate to the desired depth. Once the octadecaborane molecule has been implanted, it breaks apart and most of the hydrogen atoms diffuse and escape the substrate leaving behind the boron atoms.
Transporting octadecaborane, as opposed to atomic boron, or the more popular molecule borondiflouride (BF2+), in the low energy range (< 5keV) provides two notable advantages. The larger molecule leverages the first law of thermodynamics in that the effective energy of each boron atom in the molecule shares a fraction of the total energy of the molecule. Since ion beam become exceptionally more difficult to transport as energy approaches 0eV due to like charge repulsion of the atoms, a larger mass molecule can be transported at higher energies (and therefor higher speed) allowing less time for repulsion with the same effective atomic energy.
The second advantage to transporting octadecaborane over atomic boron or BF2 is the increased flux of atomic boron. The molecular ion flux for a given energy is similar to an atomic ion flux at the same energy. Therefor, the total number of boron atom flux for a given ion flux is the simple multiple of atoms in the molecule. Comparing octadecaborane to atomic boron, we get eighteen times the boron flux when using the molecule. This equates to higher productivity in a manufacturing environment.
Drawbacks to transporting larger molecules is a reduction in the maximum energy, or depth, that the molecule can be implanted. Ion implantation equipment function much like a mass spectrum analyzer, utilizing a magnet to filter and segregate atomic species. Larger or heavier molecules and atoms require stronger magnets to bend the beam for filtering. The extreme size of the octadecaborane molecule places great demands on the magnets of the equipment making high energy operation difficult if not impractical.
