Comparisons were made between (Al‐1% Si)/n+Si contacts in which the phosphorus dopant had been implanted through native‐oxide or grown‐oxide layers, and similar contacts in which the phosphorus dopant had been implanted through a ∼300‐A˚ Al layer. The Al layer was flash evaporated immediately afterinsituplasma cleaning to remove the native oxide from the silicon, thereby minimizing the incidence of oxygen ‘‘knock‐on’’ during implantation. Pre‐alloy and post‐alloy contact resistance measurements showed the contacts implanted through Al to be more responsive to the metal alloying process and to have significantly lower post‐alloy contact resistances than contacts implanted through either native‐oxide or grown‐oxide layers.