Process for preparing Si or Ge epitaxial film using fluorine oxidant

Claim 2

A process for preparing an improved valence electron controlled functional epitaxial film on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing through a first gas transportation conduit into an evacuated film-forming space having said substrate therein; a gaseous raw material (i) containing hydrogen atoms and silicon atoms or gemanium atoms; (b) separately through a second gas transportation conduit concentric with the first gas transportation conduit, introducing a gaseous material (ii) capable of oxidizing the raw material (i), said gaseous material (ii) comprising F 2 gas; (c) separately, through a third gas transportation conduit concentric with the first and second gas transportation conduits, introducing a gaseous raw material (iii) capable of imparting a valence electron controlling element; (d) providing a mixing and reaction region for said gaseous materials (i), (ii) and (iii) adjacent said film forming space at outlets of said first, second and third concentric gas transportation conduits; (e) mixing and chemically reacting said three gaseous materials (i), (ii) and (iii) in the absence of a plasma and under reduced pressure in said mixing and reaction region surrounding the surface of said substrate, while controlling the volume ratio of said gaseous material (i) to said gaseous material (ii) to be from 1/20 to 100/1, and the volume ratio of said gaseous material (iii) to said gaseous material (i) to be from 1/1×10 6 to 1/10, respectively; (f) maintaining said substrate at an elevated temperature to generate a plurality of precursors containing excited precursors and causing at least one of the precursors to form said film; and (g) maintaining the length between the outlets of said first, second and third concentric gas transportation conduits forming said mixing and reaction region and the surface of the substrate from about 5 millimeters to 15 centimeters.

Claim 3

The process according to claim 1, wherein said raw material (iii) is a compound containing an element of Group IIIA of the Periodic Table as the constituent.

Claim 4

The process according to claim 2, wherein said compound is a member selected from the group consisting of B 2 H 6 , B 4 H 10 , B 5 H 9 , B 5 H 11 , B 6 H 10 , B 6 H 12 , Al(CH 3 ) 3 , Al(CH 2 H 5 ) 3 , Ga(CH 3 ) 3 , and In(CH 3 ) 3 .

Claim 5

The process according to claim 1, wherein said raw material (iii) is a compound containing an element of Group VA of the Periodic Table as the constituent.

Claim 6

The process according to claim 4, wherein said compound is a member selected from the group consisting of NH 3 , HN 3 , N 2 H 5 N 3 , N 2 H 4 ,NH 4 N 3 , PH 3 , P 2 H 4 , AsH 3 , SbH 3 and BiH 3 .

Claim 7

The process according to claim 1, wherein said raw material (i) is a member selected from the group consisting of straight chain silanes of the general formula: Si n H 2n+2 wherein n is an integer of 1 to 8, and cyclic silane of the general formula: Si n H 2n+2 wherein n is an integer of 3 to 6.

Claim 8

The process according to claim 6, wherein the chemical reaction among the raw materials (i), (ii) and (iii) is carried out while the substrate is maintained at a temperature of 200° C. to 900° C.

Claim 9

The process according to claim 1, wherein said raw material (i) is a member selected from the group consisting of chain germanes of the general formula: Ge m H 2n+2 wherein m is an integer of 1 to 5.

Claim 10

The process according to claim 8, wherein the chemical reaction among the raw materials (i), (ii) and (iii) is carried out while the substrate is maintained at a temperature of 150° C. to 700° C.

Claim 11

A process for preparing an improved valence electron controlled functional epitaxial film on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing through a first gas transportation conduit into an evacuated film-forming space having said substrate therein; a gaseous raw material (i) containing hydrogen atoms and silicon atoms or germanium atoms; (b) separately through a second gas transportation conduit concentric with the first gas transportation conduit, introducing a gaseous material (ii) capable of oxidizing the raw material (i), said gaseous material (ii) comprising F 2 gas; (c) separately, through a third gas transportation conduit concentric with the first and second gas transportation conduits, introducing a gaseous raw material (iii) capable of imparting a valence electron controlling element; (d) providing a mixing and reaction region for said gaseous materials (i), (ii) and (iii) adjacent said film-forming space at outlets of said first, second and third concentric gas transportation conduits; (e) mixing and chemically reacting said three gaseous materials (i), (ii) and (iii) in the absence of a plasma and under reduced pressure in said mixing and reaction region surrounding the surface of said substrate while controlling the volume ratio of said gaseous material (i) to said gaseous material (ii) from 1/20 to 100/1, and the volume ratio of said gaseous material (iii) to said gaseous material (i) from 1/1×10 6 to 1/10, respectively; (f) maintaining said substrate at an elevated temperature to generate a plurality of precursors containing excited precursors and causing at least one of the precursors to form said film; (g) subjecting the film being deposited on said substrate to heat treatment by introducing an energy from a source selected from the group consisting of Ar laser, ruby laser, yag laser, excimer laser, electron beam, ion beam, high power lamp and high power electric heater into said film-forming space to promote the formation of said epitaxial film; and (h) maintaining the length between the outlets of said first, second and third concentric gas transportation conduits forming said reaction region and the surface of the substrate from about 5 millimeters to 15 centimeters.

Claim 12

A process for preparing an improved valence electron controlled functional epitaxial film on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing through a first gas transportation conduit into an evacuated film-forming space having said substrate therein; a gaseous raw material (i) containing hydrogen atoms and silicon atoms or germanium atoms; (b) separately through a second gas transportation conduit concentric with the first gas transportation conduit, introducing a gaseous material (ii) capable of oxidizing the raw material (i), said gaseous material (ii) comprising F 2 gas; (c) separately, through a third gas transportation conduit concentric with the first and second gas transportation conduits, introducing a gaseous raw material (iii) capable of imparting a valence electron controlling element; (d) providing a mixing and reaction region for said gaseous materials (i), (ii) and (iii) adjacent said film-forming space at outlets of said first, second and third concentric gas transportation conduits; (e) mixing and chemically reacting said three gaseous materials (i), (ii) and (iii) in the absence of a plasma and under reduced pressure in said mixing and reaction region surrounding the surface of said substrate while controlling the volume ratio of said gaseous material (i) to said gaseous material (ii) from 1/20 to 100/1, and the volume ratio of said gaseous material (iii) to said gaseous material (i) from 1/1×10 6 to 1/10, respectively; (f) maintaining said substrate at an elevated temperature to generate a plurality of precursors containing excited precursors and causing at least one of the precursors to form said film; (g) subjecting the film being deposited on said substrate to heat treatment by introducing an energy from a source selected from the group consisting of Ar laser, ruby laser, yag laser, excimer laser, electron beam, ion beam, high power lamp and high power electric heater into said film-forming space to promote the formation of said epitaxial film; and (h) maintaining the length between the outlets of said first, second and third concentric gas transportation conduits forming said reaction region and the surface of the substrate from about 5 millimeters to 15 centimeters.

Claim 13

The process according to claim 10, wherein said raw material (iii) is a compound containing an element of Group IIIA of the Periodic Table as the constituent.

Claim 14

The process according to claim 11, wherein said compound is a member selected from the group consisting of B 2 H 6 , B 4 H 10 , B 5 H 9 , B 5 H 11 , B 6 H 10 , B 6 H 12 , Al(CH 3 ) 3 , Al(CH 2 H 5 ) 3 , Ga(CH 3 ) 3 , and In(CH 3 ) 3 .

Claim 15

The process according to claim 10, wherein said raw material (iii) is a compound containing an element of Group VA of the Periodic Table as the constituent.

Claim 16

The process according to claim 13, wherein said compound is a member selected from the group consisting of NH 3 , HN 3 , N 2 H 5 N 3 , N 2 H 4 , NH 4 N 3 , PH 3 , P 2 H 4 , AsH 3 , SbH 3 and BiH 3 .

Claim 17

The process according to claim 10, wherein said raw material (i) is a member selected from the group consisting of straight chain silanes of the general formula: Si n H 2n+2 wherein n is an integer of 1 to 8, and cyclic silane compounds of the general formula: Si n H 2n wherein n is an integer of 3 to 6.

Claim 18

The process according to claim 15, wherein the chemical reaction among the raw materials (i), (ii) and (iii) is carried out while the substrate is maintained at a temperature of 200° C. to 900° C.

Claim 19

The process according to claim 10, wherein said raw material (i) is a member selected from the group consisting of chain germanes of the general formula: Ge m H 2n+2 wherein m is an integer of 1 to 5.

Claim 20

The process according to claim 17, wherein the chemical reaction among the raw materials (i), (ii) and (iii) is carried out while the substrate is maintained at a temperature of 150° C. to 700° C.