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EP0031731A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Control of the hydrogen bonding in reactively sputtered amorphous silicon

Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Co
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Filing: 1980-12-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-12-30
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Abstract

Abstract A reactively sputtered photoconductive amorphous silicon film having a controlled monohydride and polyhydride bond density is produced by applying a voltage bias to the film's substrate (14) during reactively sputtering a layer of amorphous silicon in a partial pressure of hydrogen.

Inventors

  • 👤 Theodore Demetri Moustakas

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 08:18
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/0021; C23C14/0036; C23C14/0057; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 38 words
A method for producing controlled monohydride and polyhydride bond density sputtered amorphous silicon comprising reactively sputtering a layer of amorphous silicon in a partial pressure of hydrogen while concurrently applying a predetermined voltage bias to the sputtered film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 38 words
A method for producing controlled monohydride and polyhydride bond density sputtered amorphous silicon comprising reactively sputtering a layer of amorphous silicon in a partial pressure of hydrogen while concurrently applying a predetermined voltage bias to the sputtered film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein a positive voltage bias is applied to the film to decrease the polyhydride bond density of said film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said bias voltage ranges from above about ground potential to about 80 volts.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 39 words
A method according to either of claims 1 and 4 wherein said process of sputtering is further defined as RF sputtering from a silicon cathode onto a biased cathode having an anode to cathode spacing of about 5.0 cm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein a negative voltage bias is applied to the film to increase the polyhydride bond density of said film.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 104 words
A method for producing a photoconductive amorphous silicon film having controlled monohydride bond density comprising reactively sputtering a layer of amorphous silicon onto a substrate maintained at a temperature ranging from about 200°C to about 400°C and also maintained at a voltage ranging from above about ground potential to about 80 volts, said sputtering being accomplished in partial pressures of argon and hydrogen ranging from about 5m Torr to about 50 m Torr and from about 1 x 10- 4 Torr to about 5 x 10- 2 Torr respectively and having an RF sputtering power of between about 100 watts and about 500 watts.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 104 words
A method for producing a photoconductive amorphous silicon film having controlled monohydride bond density comprising reactively sputtering a layer of amorphous silicon onto a substrate maintained at a temperature ranging from about 200°C to about 400°C and also maintained at a voltage ranging from above about ground potential to about 80 volts, said sputtering being accomplished in partial pressures of argon and hydrogen ranging from about 5m Torr to about 50 m Torr and from about 1 x 10- 4 Torr to about 5 x 10- 2 Torr respectively and having an RF sputtering power of between about 100 watts and about 500 watts.

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