US4021269A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Post diffusion after temperature gradient zone melting
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1975-11-26
•
Granted: 1977-05-03
•
Expires: 1995-11-26
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a technique useful in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. When a semiconductor device is manufactured by the temperature gradient zone melting process, it is subjected to a short diffusion cycle following thermomigration. The cycle smooths out discontinuities caused by breaks in wire migration and effectively seals and isolates occluded particles of the impurity remaining in the semiconductor body. The cycle is also useful for providing large area doped regions that cannot be formed by wire migration due to constraints on wire direction.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas R. Anthony
- 👤 Mike F. Chang
- 👤 Harvey E. Cline
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 09:29
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P32/00; H10P32/10; H10P32/16; H10P95/00; H10P95/50; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/003; Y10S148/085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the steps of: supplying a body of semiconductor material containing an impurity which imparts one conductivity type; forming a region of the opposite conductivity type in said body by migrating a second impurity therethrough by the temperature gradient zone melting process so as to define a P/N junction between said region and the surrounding portions of said body; and subjecting said body to a diffusion cycle to make said P/N junction more uniform and improve the properties thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the steps of: supplying a body of semiconductor material containing an impurity which imparts one conductivity type; forming a region of the opposite conductivity type in said body by migrating a second impurity therethrough by the temperature gradient zone melting process so as to define a P/N junction between said region and the surrounding portions of said body; and subjecting said body to a diffusion cycle to make said P/N junction more uniform and improve the properties thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The steps of claim 1 wherein small particles of said second impurity become occluded in said body during migration and the diffusion cycle causes the formation of zones of said opposite conductivity type around said particles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The steps of claim 2 wherein said body is silicon, said one conductivity type is N-type, and said impurity is aluminum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The steps of claim 3 wherein said diffusion cycle is carried out at about 1200° C. for about 4 to 16 hours.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The steps of claim 1 wherein said impurity is an elongated body and said region is planar, and breaks form in said elongated body during migration causing discontinuities in said region, and said diffusion cycle eliminates said discontinuities.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The steps of claim 5 wherein said body is silicon, said one conductivity type is N-type, and said impurity is aluminum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The steps of claim 6 wherein said diffusion cycle is carried out at about 1200° C. for about 4 to 16 hours.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The steps of claim 5 wherein the surface of said body through which said impurity enters is selected from the group of crystallographic planes consisting of (100), (110), and (111).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
The steps of claim 1 wherein the surface of said body through which said impurity enters is selected from the group of crystallographic planes consisting of (100), (110), and (111), wherein said second impurity is initially deposited on said surface in the form of a plurality of closely spaced dots so that a plurality of substantially parallel linear regions of the opposite conductivity type are formed and said diffusion cycle causes said linear regions to merge with adjacent linear regions and form a continuous region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The steps of claim 9 wherein said dots are separated by less than about 2.5 mils.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The steps of claim 10 wherein said body is silicon, said one conductivity type is N-type, and said impurity is aluminum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The steps of claim 11 wherein said diffusion cycle is carried out at about 1200° C. for about 4 to 16 hours.
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) | 1980-05-02 | 1980-11-01 | 1981-05-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-05-02 | 1984-11-01 | 1985-05-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-05-02 | 1988-11-01 | 1989-05-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |