US5399521A
Expired / Lapsed
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Method of semiconductor layer growth by MBE
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1993-10-08
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Granted: 1995-03-21
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Expires: 2013-10-08
Abstract
Abstract Molecular beam epitaxy (202) with growing layer thickness control (206) by feedback of integrated mass spectormeter (204) signals. Examples include III-V compound structures with multiple AlAs, InGaAs, and InAs layers as used in resonant tunneling diodes.
Inventors
- 👤 Francis G. Celii
- 👤 Yung-Chung Kao
- 👤 Andrew J. Purdes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 18:11
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P74/00; H10P74/23; H10P74/238; B; B24; B24B; B24B37/00; B24B37/005; B24B37/013; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y15/00; C; C30; C30B; C30B23/00; C30B23/002; C30B29/00; C30B29/10; C30B29/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of molecular beam epitaxy layer growth, comprising the steps of: (a) directing a first beam of growth species at a wafer in a growth chamber; (b) repeatedly measuring the flux of the reflection of said first beam from said wafer; (c) integrating the flux measurements, from measuring the flux of the reflection of said first beam from said wafer over time; and (d) terminating said first beam when the integrated flux measurements reaches a first level.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of molecular beam epitaxy layer growth, comprising the steps of: (a) directing a first beam of growth species at a wafer in a growth chamber; (b) repeatedly measuring the flux of the reflection of said first beam from said wafer; (c) integrating the flux measurements, from measuring the flux of the reflection of said first beam from said wafer over time; and (d) terminating said first beam when the integrated flux measurements reaches a first level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: (a) said measuring the flux is by a mass spectrometer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein: (a) said wafer has a nonplanar surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: (a) after said terminating of step (d) of claim 1, directing a second beam of growth species at said wafer, said second beam of said growth species being different from said first beam of said growth species; (b) repeatedly measuring the flux of the reflection of said second beam from said wafer; (c) integrating the flux measurements from step (b) over time; (d) terminating said second beam when the integrated flux measurements from step (c) reaches a second level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 4, wherein: (a) the temperature of said wafer remains essentially constant both when first beam and when said second beam are directed at said wafer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 4, wherein: (a) said wafer is made of a III-V semiconductor compound; (b) said first beam includes atoms of a first Group III element; and (c) said second beam includes atoms of a second Group III element.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
259 words
A method of molecular beam epitaxy stacked layer growth, comprising the steps of: (a) providing sources for B 1 , B 2 , . . . B N , where B J is a beam of a Jth growth species and N is a positive integer greater than two and said Jth growth species differ from each other; (b) directing a first subset of B 1 , B 2 , , , , B N at a wafer in a growth chamber; (c) repeatedly measuring the fluxes of the reflection of at least one of said first subset of beams from said wafer; (d) integrating the flux measurements from measuring the fluxes of the reflection of said at least one of said first subset of beams for said wafer over time; (e) changing to a second subset of said B 1 , B 2 , , , , B N directed at said wafer when an integrated flux measurement reaches a first level, where said first and second subsets have at least two beams in common; (f) repeatedly measuring the flux of the reflection of at least one of said second subset of beams from said wafer beginning with said change to said second subset of said B 1 , B 2 , , , , B N ; (g) integrating the flux measurements of said second subset over time; and (h) changing to a third subset of said B 1 , B 2 , , , , B N when the integrated flux measurements reaches a second level.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
259 words
A method of molecular beam epitaxy stacked layer growth, comprising the steps of: (a) providing sources for B 1 , B 2 , . . . B N , where B J is a beam of a Jth growth species and N is a positive integer greater than two and said Jth growth species differ from each other; (b) directing a first subset of B 1 , B 2 , , , , B N at a wafer in a growth chamber; (c) repeatedly measuring the fluxes of the reflection of at least one of said first subset of beams from said wafer; (d) integrating the flux measurements from measuring the fluxes of the reflection of said at least one of said first subset of beams for said wafer over time; (e) changing to a second subset of said B 1 , B 2 , , , , B N directed at said wafer when an integrated flux measurement reaches a first level, where said first and second subsets have at least two beams in common; (f) repeatedly measuring the flux of the reflection of at least one of said second subset of beams from said wafer beginning with said change to said second subset of said B 1 , B 2 , , , , B N ; (g) integrating the flux measurements of said second subset over time; and (h) changing to a third subset of said B 1 , B 2 , , , , B N when the integrated flux measurements reaches a second level.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7, wherein: (a) said Jth growth species are of III-V semiconductor compound precursors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8, wherein: (a) one of said two beams in common of step (e) of claim 7 includes arsenic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7, wherein: (a) said third subset is empty.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7, wherein: (a) said third subset is the same as said first subset.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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