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US4379181A
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Method for plasma deposition of amorphous materials
Assignee: United Solar Systems Corp
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Filing: 1981-03-16
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Granted: 1983-04-05
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Expires: 2001-03-16
Abstract
Abstract Improved method for the generation of and deposition of semiconductor alloys from a plasma are disclosed. The uniformity of deposited layers of amorphous semiconductor material is enhanced by maintaining the frequency of an ionizing a.c. field in the plasma region between the cathode of a glow discharge chamber and the active surface of a substrate at about 50 to 200 kiloHertz to allow the favorable deposition of material at relatively low power. Improved sample quality and deposition control (including uniformity) is realized at even high frequencies by the introduction of a quantity of inert gas into the chamber to alter the energy profile of the plasma.
Inventors
- 👤 Vincent D. Cannella
- 👤 Masatsugu Izu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 14:09
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/24; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/505; C23C16/509
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
In the method of manufacture of amorphous semiconductor devices including the deposition of at least one layer of amorphous semiconductor grade material of preselected electrical and optical properties upon a large area substrate wherein a reaction gas mixture containing at least silicon and fluorine is introduced into a plasma region between said substrate and a cathode and an alternating electric field is applied therebetween so that said reaction gas mixture is ionized to form a plasma for depositing said layer of amorphous semiconductor grade material of said preselected properties upon said substrate, the improvement comprising the steps of: maintaining the frequency of said alternating electric field between about 50 nd 200 kilo Hertz and maintaining the power density of said plasma at about 0.3-0.5 watt/cm 3 , whereby the amorphous material deposited onto said substrate is a semiconductor grade material which additionally exhibits the characteristics of substantial uniformity of thickness and substantial reduction of tensile stresses.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
In the method of manufacture of amorphous semiconductor devices including the deposition of at least one layer of amorphous semiconductor grade material of preselected electrical and optical properties upon a large area substrate wherein a reaction gas mixture containing at least silicon and fluorine is introduced into a plasma region between said substrate and a cathode and an alternating electric field is applied therebetween so that said reaction gas mixture is ionized to form a plasma for depositing said layer of amorphous semiconductor grade material of said preselected properties upon said substrate, the improvement comprising the steps of: maintaining the frequency of said alternating electric field between about 50 nd 200 kilo Hertz and maintaining the power density of said plasma at about 0.3-0.5 watt/cm 3 , whereby the amorphous material deposited onto said substrate is a semiconductor grade material which additionally exhibits the characteristics of substantial uniformity of thickness and substantial reduction of tensile stresses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 further characterized by the step of introducing a substantially equal amount of inert gas into said mixture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said inert gas is argon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said mixture includes SiF 4 and H 2 .
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US4064521A
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US4178877A
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US4226643A
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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) | 1986-04-04 | 1986-10-04 | 1987-04-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-04-04 | 1990-10-04 | 1991-04-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-04-04 | 1994-10-04 | 1995-04-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |