US4004954A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of selective growth of microcrystalline silicon
Assignee: RCA Corp
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Filing: 1976-02-25
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Granted: 1977-01-25
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Expires: 1996-02-25
Abstract
Abstract An array of microcrystalline silicon pads for a vidicon target is selectively grown, by the hydrogen reduction of silicon tetrachloride, along surface portions of a silicon wafer exposed through openings in an overlying silicon dioxide layer. The method disclosed avoids the spurious irregular growth of silicon on the silicon dioxide layer between the adjacent silicon pads.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald Richard Tshudy
- 👤 Thomas William Edwards
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 00:30
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J9/00; H01J9/20; H01J9/233; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/24; H10P14/27; H10P14/271; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3444; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/026; Y10S148/039; Y10S148/12; Y10S148/122; Y10S148/151; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/974
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of selectively growing microcrystalline silicon on an array of discrete surface regions of a silicon wafer exposed through an array of openings in a layer overlying said wafer, in which the method employs the hydrogen reduction of silicon tetrachloride, the method including the preliminary step of: baking the overlying layer at a temperature above the selective growth temperature in an enclosed chamber and in a flushing atmosphere comprising hydrogen for a period of time effective for substantially avoiding spurious irregular growth along the insulating layer between discrete regions of subsequent selective growth.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of selectively growing microcrystalline silicon on an array of discrete surface regions of a silicon wafer exposed through an array of openings in a layer overlying said wafer, in which the method employs the hydrogen reduction of silicon tetrachloride, the method including the preliminary step of: baking the overlying layer at a temperature above the selective growth temperature in an enclosed chamber and in a flushing atmosphere comprising hydrogen for a period of time effective for substantially avoiding spurious irregular growth along the insulating layer between discrete regions of subsequent selective growth.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said layer is silicon dioxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the baking temperature is at least 1000° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the flushing rate of said atmosphere through said enclosed chamber during said baking step is at a rate of about 5 interior volumes of the enclosed chamber per minute.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the temperature during said selective growth is about 950° C. and the temperature during said baking step is about 1050° C.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of selective growth of microcrystalline silicon on an array of discrete surface regions of a silicon wafer exposed through an array of openings in a layer overlying said wafer, the method including the steps of: a. preheating the wafer and overlying layer to a temperature above 1000° C. in an enclosed chamber in a continually renewed atmosphere comprising hydrogen for at least one minute; and thereafter, b. selectively growing mircrocrystalline silicon on the discrete surface regions of the silicon wafer by the hydrogen reduction of silicon tetrachloride at a temperature below said preheat temperature.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of selective growth of microcrystalline silicon on an array of discrete surface regions of a silicon wafer exposed through an array of openings in a layer overlying said wafer, the method including the steps of: a. preheating the wafer and overlying layer to a temperature above 1000° C. in an enclosed chamber in a continually renewed atmosphere comprising hydrogen for at least one minute; and thereafter, b. selectively growing mircrocrystalline silicon on the discrete surface regions of the silicon wafer by the hydrogen reduction of silicon tetrachloride at a temperature below said preheat temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said wafer and insulating layer are placed within a reactor chamber, during said selective growth step, having a continually renewed atmosphere primarily of hydrogen and having from about 0.1 to about 1.0 mole percent of silicon tetrachloride vapor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said continually renewed chamber atmosphere during said selective growth step includes a dopant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said dopant is boron tribromide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the temperature during said selective growth step is about 950° C.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the temperature during said preheating step is about 1050° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said preheat step is continued for a period of about 3 minutes.
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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) | 1980-01-25 | 1980-07-26 | 1981-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-01-25 | 1984-07-26 | 1985-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-01-25 | 1988-07-26 | 1989-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |