Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A method for fabricating a photoelectric conversion device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a substrate having a first semiconductor element of the photoelectric conversion device therein; forming, on the substrate, an insulating layer of a first material; forming, by deposition on a surface of the insulating layer, a seed of amorphous material different from the first material; selecting a vapor deposition growth process in which the first material of the insulating layer has a nucleation density sufficiently smaller than a nucleation density of the amorphous material that substantially all crystal growth occurs on the amorphous material and substantially no crystal growth occurs on the insulating layer, the seed of amorphous material having an area sized so as to form only one nucleus during crystal growth in the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process; applying the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process to grow the nucleus from the seed; continuing the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process to grow, from the nucleus, a thin film single crystal layer over at least a portion of the surface of the insulating layer; and forming a photoelectric conversion device using the single crystal layer and including the first semiconductor element.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
198 words
A method for fabricating a photoelectric conversion device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a substrate having a first semiconductor element of the photoelectric conversion device therein; forming, on the substrate, an insulating layer of a first material; forming, by deposition on a surface of the insulating layer, a seed of amorphous material different from the first material; selecting a vapor deposition growth process in which the first material of the insulating layer has a nucleation density sufficiently smaller than a nucleation density of the amorphous material that substantially all crystal growth occurs on the amorphous material and substantially no crystal growth occurs on the insulating layer, the seed of amorphous material having an area sized so as to form only one nucleus during crystal growth in the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process; applying the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process to grow the nucleus from the seed; continuing the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process to grow, from the nucleus, a thin film single crystal layer over at least a portion of the surface of the insulating layer; and forming a photoelectric conversion device using the single crystal layer and including the first semiconductor element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the vapor deposition is a chemical vapor deposition process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is composed of SiO 2 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the seed is composed of Si 3 N 4 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a silicon semiconductor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said first semiconductor element comprises a signal amplifying element.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
203 words
A method for fabricating a photoelectric conversion device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a substrate having a first semiconductor element of the photoelectric conversion device therein; forming, on the substrate, an insulating layer of a first material; forming, on a surface of the insulating layer, a seed of amorphous material comprising a region of modified composition formed in an ion implantation process; selecting a vapor deposition growth process in which the first material of the insulating layer has a nucleation density sufficiently smaller than a nucleation density of the amorphous material that substantially all crystal growth occurs on the amorphous material and substantially no crystal growth occurs on the insulating layer, the seed of amorphous material having an area sized so as to form only one nucleus during crystal growth in the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process; applying the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process to grow the nucleus from the seed; continuing the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process to grow, from the nucleus, a thin film single crystal layer over at least a portion of the surface of the insulating layer; and forming a photoelectric conversion device using the single crystal layer and including the first semiconductor element.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
203 words
A method for fabricating a photoelectric conversion device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a substrate having a first semiconductor element of the photoelectric conversion device therein; forming, on the substrate, an insulating layer of a first material; forming, on a surface of the insulating layer, a seed of amorphous material comprising a region of modified composition formed in an ion implantation process; selecting a vapor deposition growth process in which the first material of the insulating layer has a nucleation density sufficiently smaller than a nucleation density of the amorphous material that substantially all crystal growth occurs on the amorphous material and substantially no crystal growth occurs on the insulating layer, the seed of amorphous material having an area sized so as to form only one nucleus during crystal growth in the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process; applying the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process to grow the nucleus from the seed; continuing the selected vapor deposition crystal growth process to grow, from the nucleus, a thin film single crystal layer over at least a portion of the surface of the insulating layer; and forming a photoelectric conversion device using the single crystal layer and including the first semiconductor element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the vapor deposition is a chemical vapor deposition process.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the insulating layer is composed of SiO 2 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the seed is composed of Si 3 N 4 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a silicon semiconductor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein said first semiconductor element comprises a signal amplifying element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the nucleation density of the amorphous material is at least about 103 times the nucleation density of the first material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the nucleation density of the amorphous material is at least about 10 3 times the nucleation density of the first material.