Patent US3881037A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3881037A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Isothermal solution mixing growth of solids
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1973-05-15
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Granted: 1975-04-29
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Expires: 1993-05-15
Abstract
Abstract It has been discovered for the practice of this invention that when two melts at the same temperature which were separately and simultaneously saturated are mixed, the combined melt is supersaturated and crystal growth occurs isothermally. Mixing of different melts is caused to occur so as to control both composition and amount of growth of the resultant solid substance. A new technique for heterojunction growth has been discovered for the practice of this invention. The method has the capability for growing multi-layered structures over a wide range of thicknesses and especially for layer thicknesses substantially less than 1 micron. Generally, the practice of this invention provides solutions to several problems associated with the liquid phase epitaxy method. Specifically, it provides for the maintenance of GaAs surface in suitable form for high quality growth of a layer thereon and for the facility of controllably changing the layer composition in the case of semiconductor materials with more than two components. Important features of the invention are: a partitioned crucible of isolating two or more melts; a window in each melt compartment which exposes the melt to the substrate when correctly aligned; and a substrate holder which can be positioned to allow contact with one melt and then repositioned to allow contact with one or more other melts without the loss of a solid-liquid interface. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the windows are opened on the walls of an inner crucible; the substrate is held in two slots on a ground face of a cylindrical rod which can be rotated from one window to the next.
Inventors
- 👤 Johannes Grandia
- 👤 Robert Martin Potemski
- 👤 Jerry Mcpherson Woodall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:16
CPC Classifications
C; C30; C30B; C30B19/00; C30B19/06; C30B29/00; C30B29/10; C30B29/40; H; H10; 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; H10P14/3421; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
METHOD FOR GROWING A SOLID STRUCTURE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: ESTABLISHING RESPECTIVE REGIONS OF TWO LIQUID SUBSTANCES EACH AT THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM WITH RESPECT TO A RESPECTIVE SOLID PHASE WITH A RELATED COMPOSOTION AT A RESPECTIVE TEMPERATURE, SAID LIQUID SUBSTANCES BEING DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF A MULTICOMPONENT COMPOUND SYSTEM WITH MORE THAN TWO COMPONENTS AND WITH A CONTINUOUS RANGE OF COMPOSITIONS, AND WHEN MIXED PROVIDING A SUPERSATURATED SOLUTION; ESTABLISHING A SUBSTRATE ADJACENT ONE SAID LIQUID SUBSTANCE AT A SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE; TRANSFERRING AN INCREMENTAL OLUME OF SAID ONE LIQUID SUBSTANCE ADJACENT OT SAID SUBSTRATE AT SAID SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE TOGETHER WITH SAID SOLID THEREAT TO A LIQUID-LIQUID INTERFACE WITH SAID REGION OF SAID OTHER LIQUID SUBSTANCE; AND DEPOSITING SAID SOLID STRUCTURE WITH SUBSTANTIALLY SAID SOLID PHASE COMPOSITION RELATED TO SAID ONE LIQUID SUBSTANCE ON SAID SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE BY ISOTHERMAL SOLUTION MIXING OF SAID INCREMENTAL VOLUME OF SAID ONE LIQUID SUBSTANCE WITH SAID REGION OF SAID OTHER LIQUID SUBSTANCE WHICH PROVIDES A SUPERSATURATED SOLUTION FROM WHICH SAID SOLID STRUCTURE IS DEPOSITED.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
METHOD FOR GROWING A SOLID STRUCTURE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: ESTABLISHING RESPECTIVE REGIONS OF TWO LIQUID SUBSTANCES EACH AT THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM WITH RESPECT TO A RESPECTIVE SOLID PHASE WITH A RELATED COMPOSOTION AT A RESPECTIVE TEMPERATURE, SAID LIQUID SUBSTANCES BEING DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF A MULTICOMPONENT COMPOUND SYSTEM WITH MORE THAN TWO COMPONENTS AND WITH A CONTINUOUS RANGE OF COMPOSITIONS, AND WHEN MIXED PROVIDING A SUPERSATURATED SOLUTION; ESTABLISHING A SUBSTRATE ADJACENT ONE SAID LIQUID SUBSTANCE AT A SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE; TRANSFERRING AN INCREMENTAL OLUME OF SAID ONE LIQUID SUBSTANCE ADJACENT OT SAID SUBSTRATE AT SAID SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE TOGETHER WITH SAID SOLID THEREAT TO A LIQUID-LIQUID INTERFACE WITH SAID REGION OF SAID OTHER LIQUID SUBSTANCE; AND DEPOSITING SAID SOLID STRUCTURE WITH SUBSTANTIALLY SAID SOLID PHASE COMPOSITION RELATED TO SAID ONE LIQUID SUBSTANCE ON SAID SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE BY ISOTHERMAL SOLUTION MIXING OF SAID INCREMENTAL VOLUME OF SAID ONE LIQUID SUBSTANCE WITH SAID REGION OF SAID OTHER LIQUID SUBSTANCE WHICH PROVIDES A SUPERSATURATED SOLUTION FROM WHICH SAID SOLID STRUCTURE IS DEPOSITED.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
131 words
Method for growing a solid structure comprising the steps of: establishing respective regions of two liquid substances each at thermal equilibrium at a respective temperature, said liquid substances being different members of a multi-component compOund system with more than two components and with a continuous range of compositions, and when mixed providing a supersaturated solution; establishing a substrate adjacent one said liquid substance at a solid-liquid interface; transferring an incremental volume of said one liquid substance adjacent to said substrate at said solid-liquid interface together with said solid thereat to a liquid-liquid interface with said region of said other liquid substance; and depositing said solid structure on said solid-liquid interface by isothermal solution mixing of said incremental volume of said one liquid substance with said region of said other liquid substance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
131 words
Method for growing a solid structure comprising the steps of: establishing respective regions of two liquid substances each at thermal equilibrium at a respective temperature, said liquid substances being different members of a multi-component compOund system with more than two components and with a continuous range of compositions, and when mixed providing a supersaturated solution; establishing a substrate adjacent one said liquid substance at a solid-liquid interface; transferring an incremental volume of said one liquid substance adjacent to said substrate at said solid-liquid interface together with said solid thereat to a liquid-liquid interface with said region of said other liquid substance; and depositing said solid structure on said solid-liquid interface by isothermal solution mixing of said incremental volume of said one liquid substance with said region of said other liquid substance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said liquid substances are dilute solutions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said respective regions of said two liquid substances are each at thermal equilibrium with respect to a respective solid phase with a related composition at a given temperature.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said substrate is crystalline and said deposited solid structure is crystalline.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said substrate has a compatible lattice constant with said multicomponent compound system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
Method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said multicomponent compound system is a ternary semiconductor compound.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said ternary compound is a III-III-V compound.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said III-III-V compound is Ga1 xAlxAs where 0 < X < 1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
Method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said substrate is GaAs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said X of one said compound is approximately 0.7 and X of said other compound is approximately 0.5.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
Method as set forth in claim 5 including the additional steps of: transferring a second incremental volume of said other liquid region adjacent to said deposited crystalline solid structure together with said crystalline solid to said one liquid region at a liquid-liquid interface therewith; and depositing another crystalline solid structure on said second solid-liquid interface by isothermal solution mixing, whereby there is grown a layered crystalline structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said layered crystalline structure comprises a heterojunction formed by said one solid structure and said another solid structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said heterojunction is a p-n junction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
165 words
Method for growing a solid structure comprising the steps of: establishing respective regions of two liquid substances each at thermal equilibrium with respect to a respective solid phase with a related composition at a respective temperature, said liquid substances being different members of a multicomponent compound system with more than two components and with a continuous range of compositions, and when mixed providing a supersaturated solution; establishing a substrate adjacent one said liquid substance at a solid-liquid interface; transferring an incremental volume of said one liquid substance adjacent to said substrate at said solid-liquid interface together with said solid thereat to a liquid-liquid interface with said region of said other liquid substance; and depositing said solid structure with substantially said solid phase composition related to said one liquid substance on said solid-liquid interface by solution mixing of said incremental volume of said one liquid substance with said region of said other liquid substances which provides a supersaturated solution from which said solid structure is deposited.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
165 words
Method for growing a solid structure comprising the steps of: establishing respective regions of two liquid substances each at thermal equilibrium with respect to a respective solid phase with a related composition at a respective temperature, said liquid substances being different members of a multicomponent compound system with more than two components and with a continuous range of compositions, and when mixed providing a supersaturated solution; establishing a substrate adjacent one said liquid substance at a solid-liquid interface; transferring an incremental volume of said one liquid substance adjacent to said substrate at said solid-liquid interface together with said solid thereat to a liquid-liquid interface with said region of said other liquid substance; and depositing said solid structure with substantially said solid phase composition related to said one liquid substance on said solid-liquid interface by solution mixing of said incremental volume of said one liquid substance with said region of said other liquid substances which provides a supersaturated solution from which said solid structure is deposited.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method as set forth in claim 15 wherein said substrate is crystalline and said deposited solid structure is crystalline.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said substrate has a compatible lattice constant with said multicomponent compound system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
Method as set forth in claIm 16 wherein said multicomponent compound system is a ternary semiconductor compound.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said multicomponent compound is a III-III-V semiconductor compound.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method as set forth in claim 19 wherein said III-III-V compound is Ga1 xAlxAs where 0 < X < 1.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said substrate in GaAs and said multicomponent compound system is Ga1 xAlxAs where 0 < X < 1.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
112 words
Method as set forth in claim 15 including the additional steps of: transferring a second incremental volume of said other liquid substance adjacent to said deposited solid structure at said solid-liquid interface together with said solid structure thereat to a liquid-liquid interface with said region of said one liquid substance; and depositing another solid structure with substantially said solid phase composition related to said other liquid substance on said solid-liquid interface by solution mixing of said incremental volume of said other liquid substance with said region of said one liquid substance which provides a supersaturated solution from which said another solid structure is deposited, whereby there is grown a layered crystalline structure.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as set forth in claim 22 wherein said layered crystalline structure comprises a heterojunction formed by said one solid structure and said another solid structure.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said heterojunction is a p-n junction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-28 | 1978-10-28 | 1979-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-28 | 1982-10-28 | 1983-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-28 | 1986-10-28 | 1987-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |