US5316958A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of dopant enhancement in an epitaxial silicon layer by using germanium
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1990-05-31
•
Granted: 1994-05-31
•
Expires: 2010-05-31
Abstract
Abstract An in-situ doped n-type silicon layer is provided by a low temperature, low pressure chemical vapor deposition process employing a germanium-containing gas in combination with the n-type dopant containing gas to thereby enhance the in-situ incorporation of the n-type dopant into the silicon layer as an electronically active dopant. Also provided are a silicon layer including a P-N junction wherein the layer contains an n-type dopant and germanium, and devices such as transistors incorporating an in-situ n-doped silicon layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Bernard S. Meyerson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:16
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/24; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3442; H10P32/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/914; Y10S438/925
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for depositing an in-situ doped n-type silicon layer onto a substrate which comprises providing the substrate in a chemical vapor deposition reaction zone wherein the temperature in said reaction zone is about 800° C. or less and the base pressure in said zone is an ultrahigh vacuum; and introducing a gas containing silicon into said reaction zone for the deposition of silicon on said substrate, and simultaneously therewith introducing an n dopant-containing gas and a germanium-containing gas in an amount effective for enhancing the in-situ incorporation of said n-type dopant into said silicon layer as an electronically active dopant, wherein the silicon layer contains 35 atomic percent or less of Germanium.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for depositing an in-situ doped n-type silicon layer onto a substrate which comprises providing the substrate in a chemical vapor deposition reaction zone wherein the temperature in said reaction zone is about 800° C. or less and the base pressure in said zone is an ultrahigh vacuum; and introducing a gas containing silicon into said reaction zone for the deposition of silicon on said substrate, and simultaneously therewith introducing an n dopant-containing gas and a germanium-containing gas in an amount effective for enhancing the in-situ incorporation of said n-type dopant into said silicon layer as an electronically active dopant, wherein the silicon layer contains 35 atomic percent or less of Germanium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said temperature is about 300° C. to about 800° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said temperature is about 450° C. to about 750° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said temperature is about 500° C. to about 550° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said base pressure is less than about 10 -8 torr.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the total operating pressure during deposition is about 10 -2 to about 10 -4 torr.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said n-dopant containing gas is a gas-containing phosphorous or arsenic, antimony or mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said n-dopant containing gas is a phosphorous containing gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said n-dopant containing gas is phosphine or POCl 3 or PCl 3 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said n-dopant containing gas is phosphine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said germanium-containing gas is a germanium hydride.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said germanium-containing gas is germanium tetrahydride.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein about 1 to about 35 atomic percent of germanium is produced in said deposited silicon layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein about 2 to 15 atomic percent of germanium is produced in said deposited silicon layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein about 1 to about 20 atomic percent of germanium is introduced into said deposited silicon layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein about 15 to 20 atomic percent of germanium is introduced into said deposited silicon layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gas-containing silicon is selected from the group of silane, higher order silanes, chlorosilanes, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gas-containing silicon is silane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
94 words
In a chemical vapor deposition process for deposition of in-situ n-doped silicon on a substrate at a temperature less than 750° C. wherein the base pressure in the reaction zone where deposition occurs is less than about 10 -8 torr, the improvement including introducing Ge into said deposited silicon during the incorporation of a n-type dopant species into said silicon, the amount of Ge incorporated into said silicon being sufficient to achieve full, as deposited, electrical activation of said n-type dopant species, wherein the silicon layer contains 35 atomic percent or less of Germanium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
94 words
In a chemical vapor deposition process for deposition of in-situ n-doped silicon on a substrate at a temperature less than 750° C. wherein the base pressure in the reaction zone where deposition occurs is less than about 10 -8 torr, the improvement including introducing Ge into said deposited silicon during the incorporation of a n-type dopant species into said silicon, the amount of Ge incorporated into said silicon being sufficient to achieve full, as deposited, electrical activation of said n-type dopant species, wherein the silicon layer contains 35 atomic percent or less of Germanium.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 19, where said temperature is less than 700° C.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 19, where said chemical vapor deposition is thermally driven.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 21, where said n-type dopant is selected from the group consisting of phosphorous, antimony, and arsenic.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for forming a silicon bipolar transistor having emitter, base and collector regions, said method being characterized by the steps of: depositing a silicon emitter layer by chemical vapor deposition at a temperature less than about 750° C., and in-situ doping said silicon emitter layer with a n-type dopant species, wherein Ge is incorporated into said emitter during said in-situ doping step in an amount sufficient to cause said n-type dopant species to be in-situ electrically active therein, where the silicon layer contains 35 atomic percent or less of Germanium.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for forming a silicon bipolar transistor having emitter, base and collector regions, said method being characterized by the steps of: depositing a silicon emitter layer by chemical vapor deposition at a temperature less than about 750° C., and in-situ doping said silicon emitter layer with a n-type dopant species, wherein Ge is incorporated into said emitter during said in-situ doping step in an amount sufficient to cause said n-type dopant species to be in-situ electrically active therein, where the silicon layer contains 35 atomic percent or less of Germanium.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 23, where said base region is silicon.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 23, where said silicon emitter is an epitaxial layer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4111719A
Cited
US4137103A
Cited
US4133701A
Cited
US4442449A
Cited
US4385938A
Cited
US4958201A
Cited
US4717681A
Cited
US4695859A
Cited
US4857270A
Cited
US4870030A
Cited
US4891329A
Cited
US4997776A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-05-30 | 1997-11-29 | 1998-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-05-30 | 2001-11-29 | 2002-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-05-30 | 2005-11-29 | 2006-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |