US4624862A
Expired / Lapsed
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Boron doped semiconductor materials and method for producing same
Assignee: United Solar Systems Corp
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Filing: 1984-11-05
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Granted: 1986-11-25
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Expires: 2004-11-05
Abstract
Abstract An improved p-type semiconductor alloy film, an improved substantially intrinsic amorphous semiconductor alloy film, improved photovoltaic and photoresponsive devices incorporating such films and r.f. and microwave glow discharge methods for fabricating same. The improved semiconductor alloy films preferably include at least silicon deposited by the glow discharge of a compound containing at least silicon and a boron species that remains substantially monoatomic as it is incorporated into the silicon matrix. The p-type film is particularly stable, is characterized by a non-narrowed band gap, reduced bulk stress, improved morphology, growth and adhesion and reduced peeling and cracking. The substantially intrinsic film is characterized by substantially reduced Staebler-Wronski degradation. The method includes the novel step of introducing a boron species that does not form higher order boron hydrides or other boron polymers or oligomers in the glow discharge plasma.
Inventors
- 👤 Chi C. Yang
- 👤 Ralph Mohr
- 👤 Stephen Hudgens
- 👤 Annette Johncock
- 👤 Prem Nath
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 07:47
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/107; G; G03; G03G; G03G5/00; G03G5/02; G03G5/04; G03G5/08; G03G5/082; G03G5/08214; G03G5/08264; G03G5/08278; H10F71/103; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/24; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2923; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3204; H10P14/3211; H10P14/3242; H10P14/3244; H10P14/3251; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3408; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3444; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for the roll-to-roll production of an electronic device by depositing a plurality of substantially superposed layers of semiconductor alloy material onto substrate material which is adapted to pass through at least one vacuum deposition chamber maintained at sub-atmospheric pressure, the method including the steps of: passing the substrate material through the at least one deposition chamber for the deposition thereonto of at least a first doped semiconductor alloy layer of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor alloy layer of a conductivity type differing from the conductivity type of the first deposited layer; and breaking vacuum and exposing the substrate material to ambient atmosphere after the deposition of at least one of the layers of semiconductor alloy material, whereby the deposition of all the semiconductor alloy layers for the production of a given electronic device does not occur in a single vacuum envelope.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for the roll-to-roll production of an electronic device by depositing a plurality of substantially superposed layers of semiconductor alloy material onto substrate material which is adapted to pass through at least one vacuum deposition chamber maintained at sub-atmospheric pressure, the method including the steps of: passing the substrate material through the at least one deposition chamber for the deposition thereonto of at least a first doped semiconductor alloy layer of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor alloy layer of a conductivity type differing from the conductivity type of the first deposited layer; and breaking vacuum and exposing the substrate material to ambient atmosphere after the deposition of at least one of the layers of semiconductor alloy material, whereby the deposition of all the semiconductor alloy layers for the production of a given electronic device does not occur in a single vacuum envelope.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein a p-i-n type photovoltaic cell is fabricated and the method includes the further steps of: depositing a p-doped layer of semiconductor alloy material in the first deposition chamber; breaking vacuum; depositing an intrinsic layer of semiconductor alloy material in a second deposition chamber; and depositing an n-doped layer of semiconductor alloy material in a third deposition chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 2, including the further step of breaking vacuum between the deposition of semiconductor alloy material in the second and third chambers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 2, wherein a tandem p-i-n type photovoltaic device is fabricated and the method includes the further steps of: repeating the depositing and vacuum breaking steps for each cell of the tandem photovoltaic cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the first deposited layer of semiconductor alloy material is a p-doped layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 5, including the further step of storing the first deposited layer of semiconductor alloy material prior to the deposition of subsequent layers of semiconductor alloy material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as in claim 6, wherein the step of depositing the p-doped semiconductor alloy material includes the further step of introducing a boron species that remains substantially monoatomic into the deposition chamber, whereby monoatomic boron species are incorporated into the host matrix of the semiconductor material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 7, wherein the p-doped semiconductor alloy layer further includes a halogen or a pseudo-halogen.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as in claim 7, wherein the boron species is selected from the group consisting essentially of BF 3 , silicon trichloride-boron difluoride, substituted boron halides, boron pseudo-halides and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 8, wherein the halogen or the pseudo-halogen is fluorine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor is silicon or a silicon alloy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor is germanium or a germanium alloy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor is a silicon-germanium alloy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the boron is substantially tetrahedrally incorporated into the semiconductor host matrix.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 2, wherein trace levels of boron are incorporated into the intrinsic semiconductor alloy layers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 15, wherein the trace levels of boron are graded through at least a portion of the bulk intrinsic layer for profiling the field induced across said intrinsic layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as in claim 16, wherein the intrinsic layer further includes fluorine for reducing the density of defect states in the band gap thereof and stabilizing the boron atoms by filling vacant orbitals thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein an n-i-p type photovoltaic cell is fabricated and the method includes the further step of: depositing an n-doped layer of semiconductor alloy material in the first vacuum chamber; depositing an intrinsic layer of semiconductor alloy material in a second deposition chamber; and depositing a p-doped layer of semiconductor alloy material in a third deposition chamber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 18, including the further step of breaking vacuum between the deposition of the semiconductor alloy material in the second and third chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as in claim 18, wherein a tandem photovoltaic device is fabricated and the method includes the further step of: breaking vacuum between the deposition of the p-doped layer of one cell and the n-doped layer of a second cell of the tandem photovoltaic device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3969163A
Cited
US4410558A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-11-24 | 1990-05-26 | 1990-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-11-24 | 1994-05-26 | 1994-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-11-24 | 1998-05-26 | 1998-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |