US4366338A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Compensating semiconductor materials
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Filing: 1981-01-09
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Granted: 1982-12-28
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Expires: 2001-01-09
Abstract
Abstract A method of compensating grain boundaries or dislocations causing interstices to form particularly in polycrystalline semiconductor materials is disclosed which comprises selectively diffusing opposite impurity-type donor semiconductor material into the interstice to thereby reduce the conductivity of the interstice.
Inventors
- 👤 George W. Turner
- 👤 John C. C. Fan
- 👤 Jack P. Salerno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 15:57
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/14; H10F10/144; H10F71/00; H10F71/129; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/16; H10F77/162; H10F77/164; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/544; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/018; Y10S148/024; Y10S148/082; Y10S148/097; Y10S148/122; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/914; Y10S438/919; Y10S438/922
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
A compensation method for reducing the conductivity associated with the interstices formed in layers of polycrystalline semiconductor material wherein said layers form rectifying junctions at their interface, comprising introducing dopant into the interstices of a first layer of opposite type conductivity to the conductivity associated with the interstices of a second layer and allowing said dopant to travel along said interstices from the first layer, across the rectifying junction between layers and into the second layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
76 words
A compensation method for reducing the conductivity associated with the interstices formed in layers of polycrystalline semiconductor material wherein said layers form rectifying junctions at their interface, comprising introducing dopant into the interstices of a first layer of opposite type conductivity to the conductivity associated with the interstices of a second layer and allowing said dopant to travel along said interstices from the first layer, across the rectifying junction between layers and into the second layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said dopant is of sufficient quantity to substantially equal the quantity of dopant originally associated with the interstices of the second layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of claim 2 wherein said dopant is provided by selectively electroplating material comprising atoms of said dopant (material) at the intersection of said interstices with a surface of said semiconductor material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method of claim 2 wherein said dopant is provided by disposing material comprising atoms of said dopant on the surface of said semiconductor material and subjecting the resultant structure to a temperature sufficient to cause diffusion of said dopant atoms into said interstices.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of claim 4 wherein diffusion is terminated prior to substantial diffusion of the dopant atoms into the bulk of the semiconductor material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of claim 3 or 4 wherein said dopant atoms are n-type and the original conductivity of the interstice being compensated is p-type.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
10 words
A semiconductor device produced by the process of claim 1.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photovoltaic cell comprising a compensated semiconductor device produced according to the process of claim 1.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
74 words
A device formed of semiconductor material and having a substrate, a first layer on said substrate of a certain type conductivity, a second layer on said first layer of opposite conductivity to said first layer and forming a junction therebetween, the improvement comprising compensating interstices in said second layer formed by introducing dopant into said second layer through interstices in the second layer and across said junction into the interstices of the first layer.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
74 words
A device formed of semiconductor material and having a substrate, a first layer on said substrate of a certain type conductivity, a second layer on said first layer of opposite conductivity to said first layer and forming a junction therebetween, the improvement comprising compensating interstices in said second layer formed by introducing dopant into said second layer through interstices in the second layer and across said junction into the interstices of the first layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 9 wherein said dopant is introduced by diffusion and the conductivity of the dopant is opposite the conductivity associated with the interstice.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 9 in which the semiconductor material is GaAs and the dopant is Sn.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
106 words
A photovoltaic cell comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) a first layer of doped semiconductor material formed on said substrate, the material of said first layer having a plurality of grain boundaries forming interstices; (c) a second layer of semiconductor material formed on said first layer and providing a rectifying junction with said first layer, the material of said second layer having a plurality of grain boundaries forming interstices; (d) a dopant for compensating the conductivity of interstices formed in said layers; said dopant being provided by diffusion from the interstices of the second layer through the junction to at least a portion of the first layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
106 words
A photovoltaic cell comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) a first layer of doped semiconductor material formed on said substrate, the material of said first layer having a plurality of grain boundaries forming interstices; (c) a second layer of semiconductor material formed on said first layer and providing a rectifying junction with said first layer, the material of said second layer having a plurality of grain boundaries forming interstices; (d) a dopant for compensating the conductivity of interstices formed in said layers; said dopant being provided by diffusion from the interstices of the second layer through the junction to at least a portion of the first layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The photovoltaic cell of claim 12 including: (e) an ohmic contact on an external surface of said substrate; (f) an ohmic contact on an external surface of said second layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The photovoltaic cell of claim 12 having an anodized surface on the second layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The photovoltaic cell of claim 12 in which the semiconductor material is GaAs and the dopant is Sn.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
A compensation method for reducing the conductivity associated with the interstices formed in layers of semiconductor material, comprising introducing dopant into the interstice of opposite type conductivity to the conductivity associated with the interstice and wherein the semiconductor material is GaAs and the dopant is Sn.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
A compensation method for reducing the conductivity associated with the interstices formed in layers of semiconductor material, comprising introducing dopant into the interstice of opposite type conductivity to the conductivity associated with the interstice and wherein the semiconductor material is GaAs and the dopant is Sn.
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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) | 1985-12-27 | 1986-06-28 | 1986-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-12-27 | 1990-06-28 | 1990-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-12-27 | 1994-06-28 | 1994-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |