US4179312A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Formation of epitaxial layers doped with conductivity-determining impurities by ion deposition
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1978-11-20
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Granted: 1979-12-18
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Expires: 1998-11-20
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for depositing a monocrystalline epitaxial layer of semiconductor material, e.g., silicon containing selected conductivity-determining impurities, on a semiconductor substrate comprising directing a beam of ions of said semiconductor material at the surface of the semiconductor substrate at an energy level below 0.5 Kev., and simultaneously directing a beam of the conductivity-determining impurity ions at at least a portion of the substrate surface whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is formed on said surface, and heating said layer to a temperature of at least 550° C. to render said layer monocrystalline. The beams of semiconductor ions and of conductivity-determining impurity ions are preferably maintained at a high current density of at least 1 ma/cm 2 at the surface of said semiconductor substrate even with a preferable relatively broad beam having diameters of up to 15 cm. Such wide beams are desirably achieved by ion beam apparatus having a high intensity source with a multi-aperture source exit plate.
Inventors
- 👤 John H. Keller
- 👤 Charles M. McKenna
- 👤 James R. Winnard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:06
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/30; H01J37/317; H01J37/3178; C; C30; C30B; C30B23/00; C30B23/02; C30B23/04; C30B23/08; H01J37/3002; H01J37/3007; H01J37/3171; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/22; H10P14/27; H10P14/271; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3238; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3442; H10P14/3444
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for depositing a monocrystalline epitaxial layer of a semiconductor material containing selected conductivity-determining impurities on a semiconductor substrate comprising directing a beam of ions of said semiconductor material at the surface of the semiconductor substrate at an energy level below 0.5 Kev., and simultaneously directing a beam of said conductivity-determining impurity ions at at least a portion of said substrate surface whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is formed on said surface, and heating said layer to a temperature of from 550° to 900° C.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for depositing a monocrystalline epitaxial layer of a semiconductor material containing selected conductivity-determining impurities on a semiconductor substrate comprising directing a beam of ions of said semiconductor material at the surface of the semiconductor substrate at an energy level below 0.5 Kev., and simultaneously directing a beam of said conductivity-determining impurity ions at at least a portion of said substrate surface whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is formed on said surface, and heating said layer to a temperature of from 550° to 900° C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor material is silicon and said substrate is silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said combined beams are maintained at a high current density of at least 1 ma/cm 2 at said surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said beam of semiconductor ions has a diameter of up to 15 cm.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for depositing a monocrystalline layer of a semiconductor material containing selected conductivity-determining impurities on a semiconductor substrate comprising generating a beam containing ions of said semiconductor material, separating said semiconductor material from other ions in the beam and directing said separated semiconductor ion beam at said substrate, generating a beam containing ions of said conductivity-determining impurity, separating said conductivity-determining impurity ions from other ions in said beam and directing said conductivity-determining impurity ion beam at said substrate along an axis coincident with said semiconductor ion beam axis, maintaining the energy level of said coincident beams at said substrate below 0.5 Kev., whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is formed on said surface, and heating said layer to a temperature of from 550° C. to 900° C. to form said monocrystalline layer.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for depositing a monocrystalline layer of a semiconductor material containing selected conductivity-determining impurities on a semiconductor substrate comprising generating a beam containing ions of said semiconductor material, separating said semiconductor material from other ions in the beam and directing said separated semiconductor ion beam at said substrate, generating a beam containing ions of said conductivity-determining impurity, separating said conductivity-determining impurity ions from other ions in said beam and directing said conductivity-determining impurity ion beam at said substrate along an axis coincident with said semiconductor ion beam axis, maintaining the energy level of said coincident beams at said substrate below 0.5 Kev., whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is formed on said surface, and heating said layer to a temperature of from 550° C. to 900° C. to form said monocrystalline layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said semiconductor material is silicon and said substate is silicon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said coincident beams are maintained at a high combined current density of at least 1 ma/cm 2 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said beam of semiconductor ions has a diameter of up to 15 cm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said layer is initially deposited at ambient temperatures followed by said step of heating the deposited layer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for depositing a monocrystalline epitaxial layer of a semiconductor material containing selected conductivity determining impurities on a portion of a semiconductor substrate comprising forming a photoresist mask over the surface of said substrate, said mask having openings defining the epitaxial layer to be deposited, directing a beam of ions of said semiconductor material at said masked surface at an energy level below 0.5 Kev., and simultaneously directing a beam of said conductivity-determining impurity ions at at least a portion of said substrate surface whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is deposited on said mask and exposed surface, removing said photoresist mask to thereby lift-off the layer of semiconductor material deposited on said mask, and heating said remaining layer to a temperature of at least 550° C.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for depositing a monocrystalline epitaxial layer of a semiconductor material containing selected conductivity determining impurities on a portion of a semiconductor substrate comprising forming a photoresist mask over the surface of said substrate, said mask having openings defining the epitaxial layer to be deposited, directing a beam of ions of said semiconductor material at said masked surface at an energy level below 0.5 Kev., and simultaneously directing a beam of said conductivity-determining impurity ions at at least a portion of said substrate surface whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is deposited on said mask and exposed surface, removing said photoresist mask to thereby lift-off the layer of semiconductor material deposited on said mask, and heating said remaining layer to a temperature of at least 550° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said semiconductor material is silicon and said substrate is silicon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
106 words
The method of claim 11 including the further steps of directing a beam of ions of said semiconductor material at the surface of said layer of semiconductor remaining after photoresist removal at an energy level below 0.5 Kev., and simultaneously directing a beam of conductivity-determining impurity ions of a type opposite to that in said layer at at least a portion of said layer surface whereby a second layer of said semiconductor material containing said opposite type conductivity-determining impurities is formed on said first layer surface to thereby form a p-n junction, and also heating said second layer to a temperature of at least 550° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said second layer is formed over a portion of the surface of said first layer by the additional steps of forming, prior to the deposition of said second layer, a photoresist mask over the surface of said first layer, said mask having openings defining the second layer to be deposited, whereby the second layer is deposited on said mask and the exposed surface of said first layer, and removing said photoresist mask to thereby lift-off the portion of the second layer of semiconductor material deposited on said mask.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said further steps of claim 12 are repeated to thereby form a third layer of said semiconductor material containing conductivity-determining impurities of the type of said first layer on the surface of said second layer and a p-n junction at the interface of said second and third layers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said third layer is formed over a portion of the surface of said second layer by the additional steps of forming, prior to the deposition of said third layer, a photoresist mask over the surface of said second layer, said mask having openings defining the third layer to be deposited whereby the third layer is deposited on said mask and the exposed surface of said second layer, and removing said photoresist mask to thereby lift-off the portion of the third layer of semiconductor material deposited on said mask.
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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) | 1982-12-17 | 1983-06-18 | 1983-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-12-17 | 1987-06-18 | 1987-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-12-17 | 1991-06-18 | 1991-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |