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EP0104907A2
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EP
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Method of making amorphous semiconductor alloys and devices using microwave energy
Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices Inc
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Filing: 1983-09-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-09-23
Abstract
Abstract @ A process for making amorphous semiconductor alloy films (22) and devices at high deposition rates utilizes microwave energy to form a deposition plasma. The process includes the steps of providing a source of microwave energy (17), coupling the microwave energy into a substantially enclosed reaction vessel (12) containing the substrate (14) onto which the amorphous semiconductor film (22) is to be deposited, and introducing into the vessel (12) reaction gases including at least one semiconductor containing compound. The microwave energy and the reaction gases form a glow discharge plasma within the vessel (12) to deposit an amorphous semiconductor film (22) from the reaction gases onto the substrate (14). The reaction gases, for example, can include silane (SiH 4 ). silicon tetrafluoride (SiF 4 ), germane, or germanium tetrafluoride (GeF 4 ). To all of the foregoing, hydrogen (H 2 ) can also be added. Dopants can also be added to the reaction gases to form p-type or n-type alloy films. Also, band gap increasing elements can be added to widen the band gap of the alloys.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanford Robert Ovshinsky
- 👤 David Dean Allred
- 👤 Lee Walter
- 👤 Stephen Jenkins Hudgens
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:25
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F99/00; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; H01J37/32211; H01J37/3222; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/511; H01J37/32266; H01J37/32275; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/24; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/2923; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3442; H10P14/3444
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A process for depositing amorphous semiconductor alloy films onto a substrate characterized by: providing a source of microwave energy; coupling said microwave energy into a substantially enclosed reaction vessel containing said substrate; and introducing reaction gases into said vessel, said gases including at least one semiconductor containing compound, to form a glow discharge plasma within said vessel and to deposit an amorphous semiconductor film from said reaction gases onto said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A process for depositing amorphous semiconductor alloy films onto a substrate characterized by: providing a source of microwave energy; coupling said microwave energy into a substantially enclosed reaction vessel containing said substrate; and introducing reaction gases into said vessel, said gases including at least one semiconductor containing compound, to form a glow discharge plasma within said vessel and to deposit an amorphous semiconductor film from said reaction gases onto said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1 further characterized by at least one of said reaction gases includes silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 2 further characterized by at least one of said reaction gases is silane (SiH 4 ).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 2 further characterized by at least one of said reaction gases is silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 2 further characterized by said reaction gases are silicon tetrafluoride (SiF 4 ) and hydrogen (H 2 ).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 2 further characterized by said reaction gases are silane (SiH 4 ) and silicon tetrafluoride (SiF 4 ) ' .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 2 further characterized by said reaction gases are silane (SiH 4 ) and germane (GeH 4 ).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 2 further characterized by said reaction gases are silicon . tetrafluoride (SiF 4 ) and germane (GeH 4 ).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to any one of claims 6, 7 or 8 further characterized by said reaction gases further include hydrogen (H 2 ).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1 further characterized by at least one of said reaction gases includes germanium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 10 further characterized by at least one of said reaction gases is germane (GeH 4 ) '
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 10 further characterized by at least one of said reaction gases is germanium tetrafluoride (GeF 4 ).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to any one of claims 11 or 12 further characterized by said reaction gases further include hydrogen (H 2 ).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1 further characterized by said reaction gases include a dopant containing compound.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 14 further characterized by said dopant containing compound includes boron.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to any one of claims 14 or 15 further characterized by said dopant containing compound is diborane (B 2 H 6 ).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 14 further characterized by said dopant containing compound includes phosphorus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to any one of claims 14 or 17 further characterized by said dopant containing compound is phosphine (PH 3 ).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 through 18 further characterized by the step of introducing a plasma sustaining gas into said vessel with said reaction gases.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 19 further characterized by said plasma sustaining gas is argon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 through 20 further characterized by said deposited semiconductor film has a band gap and wherein at least one of said reaction gases includes a band gap adjusting element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 21 further characterized by said band gap adjusting element is a band gap increasing element.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 22 further characterized by said band gap increasing element is carbon or nitrogen.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 23 further characterized by said reaction gases include ammonia gas (NH 3 ).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 23 further characterized by said reaction gases include methane gas (CH 4 ).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 21 further characterized by said band gap adjusting element is a band gap decreasing element.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process according to claim 26 further characterized by said band gap decreasing element is germanium.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 through 27 further characterized by the step of maintaining the temperature of said substrate between about 20° Centigrade and 400" Centigrade.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 through 28 further characterized by the step of maintaining the pressure within said vessel at about .1 Torr or greater.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 through 29 further characterized by said alloy film is deposited at deposition rates of 25 Angstroms per second or greater.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 through 30 further characterized by the step of adjusting the power output of said microwave energy source to provide power densities between about .1 to 1 watt per cubic centimeter.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 through 31 further characterized by the frequency of said microwave energy is 2.45 Gigahertz.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
97 words
The process according to any one of claims 1 through 32 further characterized by said process forms one step in a multi-step process for forming successively deposited alloy layers of opposite (p and n) conductivity type, the n-type layer being formed by introducing into said vessel a reaction gas containing an n-type dopant element which is deposited with the deposited layer to produce an n-type layer and the p-type layer being formed by introducing into said vessel a reaction gas containing a p-type dopant element which is deposited with the deposited layer to produce a p-type layer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process according to claim 33 further characterized by there being deposited between said p and n doped layers an intrinsic amorphous semiconductor alloy layer without a p or n dopant element present therein.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
71 words
A process for depositing a transparent electrically insulating material onto a photovoltaic device characterized by: providing a source of microwave energy; coupling said microwave energy into a substantially enclosed reaction vessel containing said device; and introducing gases into said vessel, said gases including silicon and nitrogen or oxygen, to form a glow discharge plasma within said vessel and to deposit a transparent insulating material from said reaction gases onto said device.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
71 words
A process for depositing a transparent electrically insulating material onto a photovoltaic device characterized by: providing a source of microwave energy; coupling said microwave energy into a substantially enclosed reaction vessel containing said device; and introducing gases into said vessel, said gases including silicon and nitrogen or oxygen, to form a glow discharge plasma within said vessel and to deposit a transparent insulating material from said reaction gases onto said device.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process according to claim 35 further characterized by said transparent material being silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) and wherein said reaction gases are silane gas (SiH 4 ) and nitrogen gas or ammonia gas (NH 3 ).
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 35 further characterized by said transparent material being silicon dioxide and wherein said reaction gases are silane gas (SiH 4 ) and oxygen.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to any one of claims 35 through 37 further characterized by the step of continuing said deposition until said transparent material is between one and fifty microns thick.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
94 words
A system for depositing amorphous semiconductor alloy films onto a substrate characterized by: a substantially enclosed reaction vessel (12, 24) adapted to receive said substrate (14) therein; a source of microwave energy (17); coupling means (21) coupling said microwave energy source into said vessel (12, 24); and means (46, 230) for introducing reaction gases (238, 248, 256) into said vessel, said gases including at least one semiconductor containing compound, to form a glow discharge plasma within said vessel and to deposit an amorphous semiconductor film (22) onto said substrate (14) from said reaction gases.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
94 words
A system for depositing amorphous semiconductor alloy films onto a substrate characterized by: a substantially enclosed reaction vessel (12, 24) adapted to receive said substrate (14) therein; a source of microwave energy (17); coupling means (21) coupling said microwave energy source into said vessel (12, 24); and means (46, 230) for introducing reaction gases (238, 248, 256) into said vessel, said gases including at least one semiconductor containing compound, to form a glow discharge plasma within said vessel and to deposit an amorphous semiconductor film (22) onto said substrate (14) from said reaction gases.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 39 further characterized by said source of microwave energy (17) including a microwave generator (18) and a vertical antenna (19) coupled to said generator.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 40 further characterized by said coupling means includes a reflective housing (21) about said antenna (19) for directing said microwave energy (17) into said vessel (12, 24).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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