US3874952A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of doping during epitaxy
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1972-06-30
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Granted: 1975-04-01
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Expires: 1992-06-30
Abstract
Abstract The converter obtains an efficient conversion of solar electromagnetic radiation into electrical power. A p-n junction is fabricated close to an optical surface of a region of n-type GaAs which is receptive of the solar radiation. There is a window on the optical surface consisting of a window layer of Ga1 xAlxAs, where x is less than one and greater than zero with a composition to cause the window layer to contribute selectively to absorbing and transmitting certain components of the incoming solar radiation. The layer of Ga1 xAlxAs is made nearly transparent to electromagnetic radiation and is nearly absorbent of the energetic particle radiation content of the received solar radiation. The window layer is an integral part of the procedure for forming the p-n junction. It contributes the p-type doping species to the junction by diffusion into the n-type GaAs substrate. For certain applications, the Ga1 xAlxAs window can be removed by etching with aqueous solution of HCl. If the window is removed, the ohmic contact is then made to the optical surface of the p-type GaAs. Illustratively, another structure provided by this disclosure includes a window of GaP of p-type conductivity on the surface of a region of n-type InP with a p-type transition region of InP therebetween.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerry M Woodall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 06:31
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F99/00; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/14; H10F10/144; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/26; H10P14/263; H10P14/265; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2907; H10P14/2911; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3414; H10P14/3418; H10P14/3421; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3442; H10P14/3444; H10P14/3446; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/051; Y10S148/065; Y10S148/067; Y10S148/072; Y10S148/084; Y10S148/107; Y10S148/119; Y10S148/135; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/914; Y10S438/925
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A P-N JUNCTION IN A SEMICONDUCTOR REGION, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: ESTABLISHING A REGION OF BINARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND WITH A GIVEN CONDUCTIVITY TYPE DETERMINING DOPANT THEREIN, GROWING BY LIQUID PHASE EPITAXY A REGION OF TERNARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND ON SAID BINARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND WITH AN OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE DETERMINING DOPANT THEREIN, AND DOPING SAID BINARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND WITH SAID OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE DETERMINING DOPANT FORM SAID REGION OF SAID TERNARY COMPOUND BY DIFFUSION TO ESTABLISH SAID P-N JUNCTION IN SAID REGION OF SAID BINARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND PROXIMATE TO THE INTERFACE BETWEEN SAID BINARY AND SAID TERNARY SEMICONDUCTOR REGIONS.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
A METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A P-N JUNCTION IN A SEMICONDUCTOR REGION, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: ESTABLISHING A REGION OF BINARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND WITH A GIVEN CONDUCTIVITY TYPE DETERMINING DOPANT THEREIN, GROWING BY LIQUID PHASE EPITAXY A REGION OF TERNARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND ON SAID BINARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND WITH AN OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE DETERMINING DOPANT THEREIN, AND DOPING SAID BINARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND WITH SAID OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE DETERMINING DOPANT FORM SAID REGION OF SAID TERNARY COMPOUND BY DIFFUSION TO ESTABLISH SAID P-N JUNCTION IN SAID REGION OF SAID BINARY SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND PROXIMATE TO THE INTERFACE BETWEEN SAID BINARY AND SAID TERNARY SEMICONDUCTOR REGIONS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said doping oF said binary semiconductor compound with said opposite conductivity type determining dopant from said ternary compound by diffusion is during said growth of said ternary semiconductor compound.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said binary semiconductor compound is GaAs and said dopant of said given conductivity type is Si, said ternary semiconductor compound is Ga1 xAlxAs, and said opposite conductivity type determining dopant is Zn.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
Method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said p-n junction is established in said region of said binary semiconductor compound approximately in the range of from 1 micron to 7 microns from the interface between said region of binary semiconductor compound and said region of ternary semiconductor compound.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said p-n junction is established approximately in the range of 1 micron to 2 microns from said interface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
Method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said p-n junction is established in said region of binary semiconductor compound at a distance from the interface between said region of binary semiconductor compound and said region of ternary semiconductor compound within a diffusion length for minority carriers in said portion of said region of said binary semiconductor compound between said p-n junction and said interface.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for establishing a p-n junction in a semiconductor region comprising the steps of: establishing a substrate of GaAs having a given n-type conductivity type determining dopant therein; growing by liquid phase epitaxy a layer of Ga1 xAlxAs having an opposite conductivity type determining dopant Zn therein on said layer of GaAs by liquid phase epitaxy; and controllably doping said GaAs with said opposite conductivity type determining dopant via diffusion from said layer of Ga1 xAlxAs as it solidifies to establish a p-n junction therein proximate to the interface between said substrate and said layer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for establishing a p-n junction in a semiconductor region comprising the steps of: establishing a substrate of GaAs having a given n-type conductivity type determining dopant therein; growing by liquid phase epitaxy a layer of Ga1 xAlxAs having an opposite conductivity type determining dopant Zn therein on said layer of GaAs by liquid phase epitaxy; and controllably doping said GaAs with said opposite conductivity type determining dopant via diffusion from said layer of Ga1 xAlxAs as it solidifies to establish a p-n junction therein proximate to the interface between said substrate and said layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
Method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said p-n junction is established in said region of said binary semiconductor compound approximately in the range of from 1 micron to 7 microns from the interface between said region of binary semiconductor compound and said region of ternary semiconductor compound.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said p-n junction is established approximately in the range of 1 micron to 2 microns from said interface.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for establishing a p-n junction in a semiconductor region, comprising the steps of: establishing a region of first semiconductor compound with a given bandgap and with a given conductivity type determining dopant therein; growing by liquid phase epitaxy a region of second semiconductor compound on said first semiconductor compound with a larger bandgap than said given bandgap and with an opposite conductivity type determining dopant therein; and doping said first semiconductor compound with said opposite conductivity type determining dopant from said region of said second compound by diffusion to establish said p-n junction in said region of said first semiconductor compound proximate to the interface between said region of first semiconductor compound and said region of said second semiconductor compound.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for establishing a p-n junction in a semiconductor region, comprising the steps of: establishing a region of first semiconductor compound with a given bandgap and with a given conductivity type determining dopant therein; growing by liquid phase epitaxy a region of second semiconductor compound on said first semiconductor compound with a larger bandgap than said given bandgap and with an opposite conductivity type determining dopant therein; and doping said first semiconductor compound with said opposite conductivity type determining dopant from said region of said second compound by diffusion to establish said p-n junction in said region of said first semiconductor compound proximate to the interface between said region of first semiconductor compound and said region of said second semiconductor compound.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
Method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said p-n junction is established in said region of said first semiconductor compound at a distance from the interface between said region of first semiconductor compound and said region of said second semiconductor compound within a diffusion length for minority carriers in said portion of said region of said first semiconductor compound between said p-n junction and said interface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said doping of said first semiconductor compound with said opposite conductivity type determining dopant from said second comPound by diffusion is during said growth of said region of second semiconductor compound.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said first semiconductor compound is n-type InP, and said second semiconductor compound is p-type GaP.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |