EP0211634A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
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Filing: 1986-08-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-08-01
Abstract
Abstract An improved semiconductor fabrication process is disclosed in accordance with which a semiconductor layer just formed by a plasma CVD method for example is subjected to light irradiation under conditions such as to encourage the development of dangling bonds in the surface microstructure of the semiconductor, and the dangling bonds thus formed are then neutralized by the formation of stable combinations between the dangling bonds and a neutralizing agent. The resulting semiconductor does not demonstrate the disadvantageous Staebler-Wronski effect and is advantageous in the fabrication of semiconductor photoelectric conversion devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Shunpei Yamazaki
- 👤 Kunio Suzuki
- 👤 Susumu Nagayama
- 👤 Takashi Inujima
- 👤 Masayoshi Abe
- 👤 Takeshi Fukada
- 👤 Mikio Kinka
- 👤 Ippei Kobayashi
- 👤 Katsuhiko Shibata
- 👤 Masato Susukida
- 👤 Kaoru Koyanagi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:45
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/128; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; H10F71/134; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P95/94; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/004; Y10S148/024
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
38 words
A process for the fabrication of semiconductor material wherein the just-formed material is subjected to conditions such as to encourage the development of dangling bonds and subsequently the dangling bonds are stabilized by combination with a neutralizing agent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process for the fabrication of semiconductor material wherein the just-formed material is subjected to conditions such as to encourage the development of dangling bonds and subsequently the dangling bonds are stabilized by combination with a neutralizing agent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conditions for encouraging the development of dangling bonds include the photoirradiation of the just-formed semiconductor material in an evacuated environment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the conditions for encouraging the development of dangling bonds include the maintenance of the just-formed semiconductor material at a low temperature such that it does not experience thermal annealing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the semiconductor material comprises a non-monocrystalline semiconductor material deposited by a CVD process and the neutralizing agent comprises one or more of fluorine, chlorine, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, krypton, xenon, helium and hydrogen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process for the fabrication of semiconductor material wherein, before the semiconductor material is exposed to atmospheric air, it is subjected to photoirradiation and subsequently is exposed to an atmosphere of a neutralizing agent capable of establishing stable bonding to the semiconductor material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process for the fabrication of semiconductor material wherein, before the semiconductor material is exposed to atmospheric air, it is subjected to photoirradiation and subsequently is exposed to an atmosphere of a neutralizing agent capable of establishing stable bonding to the semiconductor material.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor material by a process as claimed in any preceding claim, said apparatus comprising: a reaction chamber in which a semiconductor layer can be formed on a substrate; a first pre-stage chamber; a transportation mechanism for transporting the substrate between the reaction chamber and the pre-stage chamber; a vacuum pump for evacuating the chambers; a doping system for introducing a neutralizing agent into the pre-stage chamber; and means for irradiating the interior of the pre-stage chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second pre-stage chamber through which the substrate can be transported between the first pre-stage chamber and the reaction chamber.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
37 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor comprising: forming a semiconductor layer on a substrate under negative pressure, photo annealing the semiconductor layer under negative pressure, and supplying a neutralizing agent to the vicinity of the semiconductor layer.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
37 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor comprising: forming a semiconductor layer on a substrate under negative pressure, photo annealing the semiconductor layer under negative pressure, and supplying a neutralizing agent to the vicinity of the semiconductor layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said agent comprises a halogen, an inert gas, oxygen or nitrogen, or a mixture of two or more thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the photo annealing is carried out at a pressure of less than 10 -3 torr and at a temperature, preferably less than 50°C, such that the semiconductor is not subjected to thermal annealing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate; and neutralizer distributed on the surface microstructure of the semiconductor layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate; and neutralizer distributed on the surface microstructure of the semiconductor layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the neutralizer comprises one or more elements which have a relatively strong binding force with the semiconductor material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the density of oxygen in the semiconductor is less than 5 x 1018 cm-3.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 11 or 12 or 13, wherein the recombination center density that appears in response to light irradiation is less than 1 x 10 18 cm -3 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in any of claims 11 to 14, wherein the semiconductor layer is doped with halogen or hydrogen.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in any of claims 11 to 15, wherein the semiconductor layer is made of non-monocrystalline material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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