US4698234A — Vapor deposition of semiconductor material

Claim 1

Independent Claim 97 words

A method of fabricating a narrow band gap semiconductor alloy material by the glow discharge decomposition of a process gas mixture, said method including the steps of: providing a vacuumized deposition chamber; supporting a substrate in said chamber; introducing a process gas mixture into said chamber, said gas mixture including a silicon-containing compound and a germanium-containing compound, which compounds decompose and deposit at substantially similar rates when subjected to electromagnetic energy; and energizing said gas mixture with electromagnetic energy to effect the decomposition thereof, whereby a narrow band gap semiconductor alloy is uniformly deposited upon said substrate.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 97 words

A method of fabricating a narrow band gap semiconductor alloy material by the glow discharge decomposition of a process gas mixture, said method including the steps of: providing a vacuumized deposition chamber; supporting a substrate in said chamber; introducing a process gas mixture into said chamber, said gas mixture including a silicon-containing compound and a germanium-containing compound, which compounds decompose and deposit at substantially similar rates when subjected to electromagnetic energy; and energizing said gas mixture with electromagnetic energy to effect the decomposition thereof, whereby a narrow band gap semiconductor alloy is uniformly deposited upon said substrate.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method as in claim 1, including the further step of including hydrogen gas in the process gas mixture.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein the step of introducing a process gas mixture includes: the introduction of disilane and germane into the process gas mixture.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method as in claim 2, further including the step of continuously moving the substrate through the deposition chamber.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein the step of introducing a process gas mixture includes: the introduction of a gaseous precursor source of fluorine.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein the step of introducing a source of fluorine comprises: providing a source of silicon tetrafluoride.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein the step of introducing a process gas mixture includes: the introduction of a gaseous precursor source of a dopant element.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method as in claim 7, wherein the step of introducing a source of a dopant element comprises the further step of: selecting an element from the group consisting essentially of diborane, boron trifluoride, phosphine, phosphorous trifluoride, phosphorous pentafluoride and combinations thereof.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein the step of introducing a process gas mixture includes introducing a mixture comprising by volume: equal parts by volume of disilane, germane, and silicon tetrafluoride, and at least 10 times as much of hydrogen gas.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein the step of energizing the process gas mixture includes the further step of: providing radio frequency electromagnetic energy to said gas mixture.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 69 words

A method as in claim 10, wherein the step of providing radio frequency energy to the gas mixture includes the further steps of: disposing an electrode in the deposition chamber in close proximity to said substrate, said electrode and substrate defining a plasma region therebetween; operatively disposing the source of radio frequency energy in electrical communication with said electrode; and introducing said process gas mixture into said plasma region.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein the step of energizing the process gas mixture includes the further step of: providing microwave energy to said gas mixture.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 52 words

A method as in claim 2, wherein tne step of supporting a substrate in a deposition chamber comprises supporting at least a portion of an elongated web of substrate material in the chamber; the method including the further step of: continuously advancing said elongated web of substrate material through the deposition chamber.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of fabricating a layer of semiconductor alloy material; said layer, when utilized to form the photoactive region of a single photovoltaic cell, provides for (1) a high efficiency and (2) exhibits low photodegradation when exposed to AM-1 illumination, said method including the steps of: providing a vacuumized deposition chamber; supporting a substrate in said chamber; introducing a precursor gaseous mixture into said chamber, said gaseous mixture including therein: (a) a silicon containing compound of the general formula; Si x H y F z wherein x is an integer greater than 1, y and z are integers or zero and y+z=2x+2, (b) a fluorine-containing gas and (c) hydrogen; and energizing said precursor gaseous mixture with electromagnetic energy, whereby said layer of semiconductor alloy material is deposited upon the substrate.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of fabricating a layer of semiconductor alloy material; said layer, when utilized to form the photoactive region of a single photovoltaic cell, provides for (1) a high efficiency and (2) exhibits low photodegradation when exposed to AM-1 illumination, said method including the steps of: providing a vacuumized deposition chamber; supporting a substrate in said chamber; introducing a precursor gaseous mixture into said chamber, said gaseous mixture including therein: (a) a silicon containing compound of the general formula; Si x H y F z wherein x is an integer greater than 1, y and z are integers or zero and y+z=2x+2, (b) a fluorine-containing gas and (c) hydrogen; and energizing said precursor gaseous mixture with electromagnetic energy, whereby said layer of semiconductor alloy material is deposited upon the substrate.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method as in claim 14, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture includes introducing disilane into the chamber.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as in claim 14, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture including a source of fluorine comprises introducing a mixture including silicon tetrafluoride into the chamber.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method as in claim 14, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture including a source of fluorine comprises introducing a mixture including a member chosen from the group consisting essentially of: fluorine, fluorosilanes, fluoropolysilanes, boron, trifluoride and combinations thereof.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as in claim 14, including the further step of introducing a germanium-containing gaseous compound into the deposition chamber.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as in claim 14, including the further step of introducing a dopant-containing gaseous compound into the deposition chamber.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 37 words

A method as in claim 14, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture comprises introducing a volume mixture of approximately: 5 to 10 parts hydrogen, one part disilane and at least 0.1 part silicon tetrafluoride.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method as in claim 14, further including the step of continuously moving the substrate through the deposition chamber.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as in claim 14, wherein the step of energizing the precursor gaseous mixture with electromagnetic energy comprises energizing the mixture with radio frequency energy.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as in claim 14, wherein the step of energizing the precursor gaseous mixture with electromagnetic energy comprises energizing the mixture with microwave energy.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 131 words

A method for the glow discharge deposition of a layer of narrow band gap semiconductor alloy material at rates greater than approximately 3 to 4 angstroms per second, while the photoconductivity of said layer is maintained at least 2×10 -5 inverse ohms-centimeters and having an activation energy of about 0.65 eV and a photovoltaic device incorporating said layers is characterized by high efficiency and substantially non-photodegradion, said method including the steps of: providing a vacuumized deposition chamber; supporting a substrate in said chamber; introducing a precursor gaseous mixture into said chamber, said gaseous mixture including therein: a silicon-containing gas, a germanium containing gas, a fluorine-containing gas and a diluent; and energizing said precursor gaseous mixture with electromagnetic energy to decompose and deposit said layer of semiconductor alloy material upon the substrate.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 131 words

A method for the glow discharge deposition of a layer of narrow band gap semiconductor alloy material at rates greater than approximately 3 to 4 angstroms per second, while the photoconductivity of said layer is maintained at least 2×10 -5 inverse ohms-centimeters and having an activation energy of about 0.65 eV and a photovoltaic device incorporating said layers is characterized by high efficiency and substantially non-photodegradion, said method including the steps of: providing a vacuumized deposition chamber; supporting a substrate in said chamber; introducing a precursor gaseous mixture into said chamber, said gaseous mixture including therein: a silicon-containing gas, a germanium containing gas, a fluorine-containing gas and a diluent; and energizing said precursor gaseous mixture with electromagnetic energy to decompose and deposit said layer of semiconductor alloy material upon the substrate.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 80 words

A method as in claim 24, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture including a silicon-containing gas therein includes the step of introducing a compound of the general formula: Si x R y H z , wherein x is an integer greater than 1, and R is chosen from the group consisting essentially of: hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and mixtures thereof, x is an integer greater than 1, y and z are integers or zero and y+z=2x+2.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method as in claim 24, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture including a precursor gaseous mixture including a silicon-containing gas therein includes the step of introducing disilane into the chamber.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as in claim 24, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture including a germanium-containing gas therein includes the step of introducing germane into the chamber.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method as in claim 24, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture including a fluorine-containing gas therein includes the steps of introducing a gas chosen from the group consisting essentially of: fluorine, flurosilanes, fluoropolysilanes, boron trifluoride and combinations thereof.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as in claim 24, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture including a diluent includes the step of introducing hydrogen into the chamber.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method as in claim 24, including the further step of introducing a dopant containing gaseous compound into the deposition chamber.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 44 words

A method as in claim 24, wherein the step of introducing a precursor gaseous mixture comprises introducing a volume mixture of approximately: 5 to 10 parts hydrogen, 0.5 to 3 parts disilane, 0.5 to 3 parts germane and at least 0.1 part silicon tetrafluoride.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method as in claim 24, further including the step of continuously moving the substrate through the deposition chamber.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as in claim 24, wherein the step of energizing the precursor gaseous mixture with electromagnetic energy comprises energizing the mixture with radio frequency energy.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as in claim 24, wherein the step of energizing the precursor gaseous mixture with electromagnetic energy comprises energizing the mixture with microwave energy.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-10-05	1991-04-06	1991-10-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-10-05	1995-04-06	1995-10-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-10-05	1999-04-06	1999-10-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Vapor deposition of semiconductor material

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