This paper describes an in situ boron-doped, multilayer epitaxial silicon process that can be used to obtain doping profiles for channels in the deep-submicron regime. We have extensively studied lightly doped channel structures in which an intrinsic silicon layer is grown an in situ doped epitaxial silicon film. Low-thermal-budget processing is achieved by the ultrahigh-vacuum rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition technique which combines low-temperature surface preparation and deposition (less than or equal to 800 degrees C) while providing high growth rates using disilane (Si2H6). Boron doping is achieved using diborane (B2H6) diluted in hydrogen (500 ppm) as the precursor. Temperature and gas switching are compared in terms of doping transition, interface contamination (carbon and oxygen incorporation), and impurity diffusion upon annealing. Our results reveal that for a contamination-free epitaxial silicon interface, interfacial carbon contamination must be eliminated or reduced to a minimum level. Using this process, short-channel n-channel metal-oxide semiconductor devices (L-eff = 0.12 mu m) have been fabricated for the first time demonstrating the potential use of the technique, It was found that lightly doped channel metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors are more easily scalable into the 0.1 mu m regime with superior short-channel characteristics.