US4598304A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Thin film devices of silicon
Assignee: Tonen General Sekiyu KK
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Filing: 1985-10-23
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Granted: 1986-07-01
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Expires: 2005-10-23
Abstract
Abstract a-type or n-type thin film of silicon has the concentration of an impurity dopant element decreased adjacent to a boundary of film. The impurity dopant element in the portion of the silicon film from the surface to a predetermined depth is replaced by an element selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and hydrogen.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazunobu Tanaka
- 👤 Akihisa Matsuda
- 👤 Toshihiko Yoshida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 09:33
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/40; H10D62/80; H10D62/83; H10D62/834; H10P14/24; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3442; H10P95/00; H10P95/94
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A thin film silicon semiconductor device comprising a substrate and a thin film of silicon, said substrate supporting said thin film, said thin film being doped with a dopant impurity element, the concentration of the dopant impurity element being substantially zero for a predetermined thickness beneath a boundary of said thin film and increasing substantially linearly from the zero concentration beneath the boundary to a substantially constant concentration within said thin film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
A thin film silicon semiconductor device comprising a substrate and a thin film of silicon, said substrate supporting said thin film, said thin film being doped with a dopant impurity element, the concentration of the dopant impurity element being substantially zero for a predetermined thickness beneath a boundary of said thin film and increasing substantially linearly from the zero concentration beneath the boundary to a substantially constant concentration within said thin film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 1 in which the boundary is a major exposed surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 1 in which the dopant impurity concentration increases within 5000 Å of the boundary.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 3 in which the dopant impurity concentration increases within 3500 Å of the boundary.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 1 in which the impurity concentration is substantially zero within a thickness of approximately 1000 Å beneath the boundary.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 1 in which the thin film is a single-crystal of silicon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 1 in which the thin film comprises amorphous silicon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 1 in which the thin film comprises an amorphous silicon layer in which microcrystalline particles are mixed and dispersed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 1 in which the thin film is doped with a second dopant impurity element which decreases in concentration from the boundary toward the portion of the silicon film having a maximum concentration of the first dopant impurity element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 9 in which the second dopant impurity element decreases in concentration in the portion of the thin film adjacent to the boundary having a substantially zero concentration of the first dopant impurity element and at least part of the portion of the thin film in which the concentration of the first dopant impurity element increases substantially linearly.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 1 in which the impurity element concentration increases from the substantially zero concentration to the substantially constant concentration within a 2500 Å portion of the thin film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
112 words
A thin film silicon device comprising a substrate and a thin film of silicon, said substrate supporting said thin film, said thin film having a first portion and a second portion separated by a boundary, said first portion being doped with a dopant impurity having a concentration of substantially zero adjacent to the boundary, said dopant concentration increasing substantially linearly from the zero concentration adjacent to the boundary to a substantially constant concentration within the first portion between the boundary and the substrate, said second portion being substantially free of the dopant impurity, the dopant impurity concentration within said second portion being within a maximum of about 10 16 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
112 words
A thin film silicon device comprising a substrate and a thin film of silicon, said substrate supporting said thin film, said thin film having a first portion and a second portion separated by a boundary, said first portion being doped with a dopant impurity having a concentration of substantially zero adjacent to the boundary, said dopant concentration increasing substantially linearly from the zero concentration adjacent to the boundary to a substantially constant concentration within the first portion between the boundary and the substrate, said second portion being substantially free of the dopant impurity, the dopant impurity concentration within said second portion being within a maximum of about 10 16 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 12 in which the dopant impurity concentration in the first portion increases within 5000 Å of the boundary.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 13 in which the dopant impurity concentration in the first portion increases within 3500 Å of the boundary.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The thin film device in accordance with claim 12 in which the dopant impurity concentration increases from the substantially zero concentration to the substantially constant concentration within a 2500 Å portion of the first portion.
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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) | 1989-06-30 | 1989-12-30 | 1990-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-06-30 | 1993-12-30 | 1994-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-06-30 | 1997-12-30 | 1998-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |