US4226897A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of forming semiconducting materials and barriers
Assignee: Plasma Physics Corp
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Filing: 1977-12-05
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Granted: 1980-10-07
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Expires: 1997-12-05
Abstract
Abstract In a gaseous glow-discharge process for coating a substrate with semiconductor material, a variable electric field in the region of the substrate and the pressure of the gaseous material are controlled to produce a uniform coating having useful semiconducting properties. Electrodes having concave and cylindrical configurations are used to produce a spacially varying electric field. Twin electrodes are used to enable the use of an AC power supply and collect a substantial part of the coating on the substrate. Solid semiconductor material is evaporated and sputtered into the glow discharge to control the discharge and improve the coating. Schottky barrier and solar cell structures are fabricated from the semiconductor coating. Activated nitrogen species is used to increase the barrier height of Schottky barriers.
Inventors
- 👤 John H. Coleman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 03:26
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/16; H10F10/164; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/503; C23C16/505; C23C16/509; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32532; H01J37/32541; H01J37/32623; H10F10/17; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/52; Y02E10/548; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
42 words
The method of treating the surface of a semiconductor comprising subjecting the surface to activated gaseous species of nitrogen and hydrogen, coating said treated surface with a metallic oxide and an active metal to form a Schottky barrier with enhanced barrier potential.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
42 words
The method of treating the surface of a semiconductor comprising subjecting the surface to activated gaseous species of nitrogen and hydrogen, coating said treated surface with a metallic oxide and an active metal to form a Schottky barrier with enhanced barrier potential.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
86 words
The method of producing a film on the surface of a substrate in an evacuated enclosure, which includes the steps of introducing a gaseous material at sub-atmospheric pressure in the region of said surface, applying to said surface a spatially non-uniform electric field having a weak field region extending over a portion of said surface and controlling said pressure to maintain a glow-discharge in said weak field region adjacent said portion of said surface to produce a substantially uniform film on said portion of said surface.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
86 words
The method of producing a film on the surface of a substrate in an evacuated enclosure, which includes the steps of introducing a gaseous material at sub-atmospheric pressure in the region of said surface, applying to said surface a spatially non-uniform electric field having a weak field region extending over a portion of said surface and controlling said pressure to maintain a glow-discharge in said weak field region adjacent said portion of said surface to produce a substantially uniform film on said portion of said surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2 in which said gaseous material comprises a semiconductor forming material and further comprising the step of applying a thermal source in the region of said substrate to induce a high resistivity in said film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 3 in which said gaseous material comprises silicon and hydrogen and said film comprises hydrogenated amorphous silicon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 3 in which said gaseous material comprises germanium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 3 in which said gaseous material comprises gallium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 in which said gaseous material comprises silicon, hydrogen and halogen.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 in which said gaseous material comprises silicon and nitrogen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 3 in which said film selectively has a high absorptivity for visible radiation and low emissivity for IR radiation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 in which said gaseous material comprises a semiconductor dopant and said substrate comprises a semiconductor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3 in which said film comprises a semiconductor and further comprising the step of adding an active metal to the surface of said film to form a Schottky barrier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 10 in which said gaseous material comprises a p-type dopant and said substrate comprises an n-type semiconductor to form a p-n junction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 in which said film comprises a semiconductor and further comprising the step of depositing a semi-transparent, conducting layer on the surface of said film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 in which said film comprises a semiconductor and further comprising the step of doping a surface of said film to form an ohmic contact.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2 in which said substrate comprises silicon and said gaseous material comprises nitrogen and said film is a nitride of silicon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of coating said film with a conducting coating to form a Schottky barrier.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of coating said film with metallic oxide and a conducting layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of coating said film with a semi-transparent conducting layer to form a solar cell.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of coating said film with a semi-transparent conducting layer to form a solar cell.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 17 in which said metallic oxide comprises an oxide of antimony.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 17 in which said metallic oxide comprises an oxide of titanium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 18 in which said semi-transparent layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel and palladium.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 19 in which said semi-transparent layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel and palladium.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 3 in which said surface comprises stainless steel.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 3 in which said surface comprises glass coated with a semi-transparent conducting coating.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 13 in which said semiconductor is n-type and further comprising the step of contacting said semiconductor with a gold-antimony alloy to form an ohmic contact.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 13 in which said conducting layer comprises an oxide of tin.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 13 in which said conducting layer comprises an active metal to form a Schottky barrier.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
94 words
The method of producing a film on the surface of a substrate in an evacuated enclosure, comprising the steps of introducing a gaseous material comprising silicon and nitrogen at sub-atmospheric pressure in the region of said surface, applying to said surface a spatially non-uniform electric field having a weak field region extending over a portion of said surface, and controlling said pressure to maintain a glow-discharge in said weak field region adjacent said portion of said surface to produce a substantially uniform film of a nitride of silicon on said portion of said surface.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
94 words
The method of producing a film on the surface of a substrate in an evacuated enclosure, comprising the steps of introducing a gaseous material comprising silicon and nitrogen at sub-atmospheric pressure in the region of said surface, applying to said surface a spatially non-uniform electric field having a weak field region extending over a portion of said surface, and controlling said pressure to maintain a glow-discharge in said weak field region adjacent said portion of said surface to produce a substantially uniform film of a nitride of silicon on said portion of said surface.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of producing a film on the surface of a substrate mounted on a first electrode structure spaced apart from a second electrode structure by a gap in an evacuated enclosure, comprising the steps of introducing a gaseous material at sub-atmospheric pressure in the region of said surface, applying between said electrode structures a non-uniform electric field having a strong field region across said gap and a weak field region extending over a portion of said surface remote from said gap and controlling said pressure to maintain a glow-discharge in said weak field region adjacent said portion of said surface outside said gap to produce a substantially uniform film on said portion of said surface.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of producing a film on the surface of a substrate mounted on a first electrode structure spaced apart from a second electrode structure by a gap in an evacuated enclosure, comprising the steps of introducing a gaseous material at sub-atmospheric pressure in the region of said surface, applying between said electrode structures a non-uniform electric field having a strong field region across said gap and a weak field region extending over a portion of said surface remote from said gap and controlling said pressure to maintain a glow-discharge in said weak field region adjacent said portion of said surface outside said gap to produce a substantially uniform film on said portion of said surface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 30 in which said second electrode structure comprises an elongated planar member positioned substantially perpendicular to the tangent plane of said surface.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 30 in which said second electrode structure comprises an array of elongated cylindrical members positioned substantially perpendicular to the tangent plane of said surface.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 30 in which said second electrode structure is an elongated planar member positioned on the opposite side of said surface.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 30 in which said first electrode comprises a concave structure facing said second electrode.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
79 words
The method of producing a semiconducting film on the surface of a substrate in an evacuated enclosure comprising ionizing a gaseous, film-forming material at sub-atmospheric pressure, applying a spatially non-uniform electric field to said surface, said electric field having a weak field region extending over a portion of said surface, and controlling said pressure to collect said ionized material on said portion of said surface adjacent said weak field region to produce a uniform semiconducting film on said surface.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
79 words
The method of producing a semiconducting film on the surface of a substrate in an evacuated enclosure comprising ionizing a gaseous, film-forming material at sub-atmospheric pressure, applying a spatially non-uniform electric field to said surface, said electric field having a weak field region extending over a portion of said surface, and controlling said pressure to collect said ionized material on said portion of said surface adjacent said weak field region to produce a uniform semiconducting film on said surface.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of disposing a thermal source of semiconductor film forming material in the region of said surface and evaporating said semiconductor material into said weak field region.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of disposing a solid semiconductor material in the region of said surface and sputtering said semiconductor material into said weak field region.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of moving said substrate relative to said non-uniform electric field.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US3437511A
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JPS482831U
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US4064521A
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US4059461A
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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) | 1983-10-07 | 1984-04-07 | 1984-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-10-07 | 1988-04-07 | 1988-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-10-07 | 1992-04-07 | 1992-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |