US4171234A — Method of fabricating three-dimensional epitaxial…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 134 words

A method for manufacturing single crystal devices by molecular beams by epitaxially growing of new crystal layers over a crystal substrate which comprises: (a) forming on one major surface of said substrate a three dimensional structure having a suitable geometrical configuration; (b) maintaining the substrate at a predetermined temperature; and (c) impinging at least one molecular beam for forming said crystal layer on said substrate at an oblique angle relative to the major surface of said substrate, at a reduced pressure at which the mean path of said molecules in said molecular beam is greater than the distance between the molecular beam source and said substrate, whereby said epitaxially grown crystal layer is grown on local regions of said major surface of said crystal substrate dependent upon the arrival rates of said molecular beams.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 134 words

A method for manufacturing single crystal devices by molecular beams by epitaxially growing of new crystal layers over a crystal substrate which comprises: (a) forming on one major surface of said substrate a three dimensional structure having a suitable geometrical configuration; (b) maintaining the substrate at a predetermined temperature; and (c) impinging at least one molecular beam for forming said crystal layer on said substrate at an oblique angle relative to the major surface of said substrate, at a reduced pressure at which the mean path of said molecules in said molecular beam is greater than the distance between the molecular beam source and said substrate, whereby said epitaxially grown crystal layer is grown on local regions of said major surface of said crystal substrate dependent upon the arrival rates of said molecular beams.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the smallest thickness of said epitaxial crystal layer is smaller than the smallest dimension forming said three dimensional structure.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 52 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said molecular beams have a molecular beam of a first Group element, the sticking coefficient of which is unity and a molecular beam of a second Group element which sticks on the surface of said substrate by reacting on said first Group element.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 46 words

A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein in a region on said substrate wherein the arrival rate of the molecular beam of the first Group element changes, a local region of the crystal layer having a thickness proportioned to said arrival rate is formed.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 85 words

A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein in the three dimensional structure, a local region, in which the arrival rate of the molecular beam of said second Group element is smaller than that of the molecular beam of said second Group element in said one major surface of said substrate, is formed on the substrate and the thickness of said crystal layer in said local region is thinner than that of the arrival rate of the molecular beam of said first Group element.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 86 words

A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein in the three dimensional structure, a region, in which the arrival rate of the molecular beam of said second Group elements is smaller than that of the molecular beam of said second Group elements in said one major surface of said substrate, is formed on the substrate and the thickness of said crystal layer in the neighborhood of said area is thicker than that of the arrival rate of the molecular beam of said first Group element.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein a plurality of kinds of elements are used as a molecular beam of the first Group element.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein a plurality of molecular beams are used as a molecular beam of said second Group element.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the surface diffusion length of at least one type material molecules impinged on the surface of the grown crystal layer is smaller as compared with the size of said three dimensional structures.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said epitaxially grown crystal layer consists of a semiconductor compound consisting of atoms in Groups III and V.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 75 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of material molecule supply sources are used depending upon types of atoms constituting a desired mixed crystal, and the arrival rates of said molecular beams are varied from one point to another depending upon the local incident angle of the molecular beams, whereby local regions having different compositions of the mixed crystal are formed dependent upon said local arrival rates of said molecular beams.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said epitaxially grown crystal layer consists of Ga 1-x Al x A s .

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 46 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein in addition to said material molecule supply sources, at least one supply source for emitting a beam of a desired impurity is provided so that regions wherein different types of local impurities or concentrations thereof are formed.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the angle of incidence of said molecular beams is varied by changing the relative orientation of said major surface and said molecular beam sources.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said method is a molecular beam epitaxy method.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 147 words

A method for manufacturing single crystal devices by molecular beam epitaxially growing of new crystal layers over a crystal substrate which comprises: (a) forming on one major surface of said substrate a three dimensional structure having a suitable geometrical configuration; (b) maintaining the substrate at a predetermined temperature; and (c) impinging at least one molecular beam for forming said crystal layer on said substrate at an oblique angle relative to the major surface of said substrate, at a reduced pressure at which the mean free path of said molecules in said molecular beam is greater than the distance between the molecular beam source and said substrate, whereby said epitaxially grown crystal layer is grown on local regions of said major surface of said crystal substrate and is separated self-aligningly dependent upon the local arrival rate of said molecular beams due to self-masking of said three dimensional structures.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 147 words

A method for manufacturing single crystal devices by molecular beam epitaxially growing of new crystal layers over a crystal substrate which comprises: (a) forming on one major surface of said substrate a three dimensional structure having a suitable geometrical configuration; (b) maintaining the substrate at a predetermined temperature; and (c) impinging at least one molecular beam for forming said crystal layer on said substrate at an oblique angle relative to the major surface of said substrate, at a reduced pressure at which the mean free path of said molecules in said molecular beam is greater than the distance between the molecular beam source and said substrate, whereby said epitaxially grown crystal layer is grown on local regions of said major surface of said crystal substrate and is separated self-aligningly dependent upon the local arrival rate of said molecular beams due to self-masking of said three dimensional structures.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the angle of incidence of said molecular beams is varied by changing the relative orientation of said major surface and said molecular beam sources.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said method is a molecular beam epitaxy method.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the surface diffusion length of at least one type of material molecules impinged on the surface of the grown crystal layer is shorter as compared with the size of said three-dimensional structures.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said three-dimensional structures are formed by the preferential etching of said crystal substrate.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said epitaxially grown crystal layer consists of a semiconductor compound consisting of atoms in Groups III and V.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein said epitaxially grown crystal layer consists of Ga 1-x Al x As (0≦x≦1) or GaAs 1-y P y (0≦y≦1).

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 74 words

A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein a plurality of material molecule supply sources are used depending upon types of atoms constituting a desired mixed crystal, and the arrival rates of said molecular beams are varied from one point to another depending upon the local incident angle of the molecular beams, whereby local regions having different compositions of the mixed crystal are formed dependent upon said arrival rates of said molecular beams.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 46 words

A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein in addition to said material molecule supply sources, at least one supply source for emitting a beam of a desired impurity is provided so that regions wherein different types of local impurities or concentrations thereof are formed.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said three-dimensional structures are periodically arranged on said crystal substrate.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising varying the angle of incidence of said material molecules relative to said crystal substrate.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1982-10-15	1983-04-16	1983-10-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1986-10-15	1987-04-16	1987-10-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1990-10-15	1991-04-16	1991-10-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of fabricating three-dimensional epitaxial layers utilizing molecular beams of varied angles

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