Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal silicide layer comprises performing laser thermal annealing of a surface region of a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate, exposing a surface of a thus obtained silicon layer, depositing a metal layer above the exposed silicon layer, and/or thermally treating a stack of layers, comprising the silicon layer and the metal layer, to form a metal silicide layer. Alternatively and/or additionally, the method may comprise depositing a silicon layer above a SiC substrate, depositing a metal layer, and/or performing laser thermal annealing of the SiC substrate and a stack of layers above the SiC substrate to form a metal silicide layer, wherein the stack of layers comprises the silicon layer and the metal layer. Moreover, a semiconductor device is described, comprising a SiC substrate, a metal silicide layer, and a polycrystalline layer in direct contact with the SiC substrate and the metal silicide layer.

Abstract: A method of deriving a corrected thermal wave signal for improving accuracy of monitoring lattice damage caused by ion beam implantation in a crystalline substrate includes obtaining a measured ion beam current signal indicative of the ion beam current used for ion beam implantation in the substrate. A thermal wave measurement is performed on the crystalline substrate after ion beam implantation to obtain a measured thermal wave signal. The corrected thermal wave signal is calculated based on the measured ion beam current signal and the measured thermal wave signal.

Abstract: An ion beam current measurement device includes a first Faraday cup having a first ion beam entrance slit of a first width W1. The first Faraday cup is configured to generate a first current signal. The device further includes a second Faraday cup having a second ion beam entrance slit of a second width W2. The second Faraday cup is configured to generate a second current signal. The slit widths are designed such that W2 is greater than W1.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a high-voltage semiconductor device includes exposing a semiconductor substrate to a plasma to form a protective substance layer on the semiconductor substrate. A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a protective substance layer on the semiconductor substrate.