US5641707A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Direct gas-phase doping of semiconductor wafers using an organic dopant source of phosphorus
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 1997-06-24
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Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of providing a semiconductor wafer, exposing the surface of the wafer to a process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of the surface of the wafer, wherein the process medium comprises a dopant gas, and wherein the dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, and heating the wafer, thermally activating the direct doping process and causing solid-state diffusion of the dopant species into the semiconductor wafer surface. The organic source of a dopant species includes the organic compounds comprising boron, arsenic and phosphorous. The wafer is heated in the presence of an organic dopant source, thermally activating the doping process and causing surface chemisorption, surface dissociation, and solid-state diffusion of the dopant species into the wafer surface. The organic dopant source can be used with a germanium-containing additive gas, a halogen-containing compound or a remote plasma energy source.
Inventors
- 👤 Mehrdad M. Moslehi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:11
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P32/00; H10P32/10; H10P32/12; H10P32/17; H10P32/171
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
A direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; exposing said surface of said wafer to a non-ionized process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of said surface of said wafer, wherein said process medium comprises a dopant gas, and wherein said dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, wherein said organic compound is a material selected from the group consisting of (CF 3 ) 2 PCl, (CF 3 ) 2 PCN, (CF 3 ) 2 PI, CF 3 PCl 2 , (C 2 H 5 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, C 2 H 5 PH 2 , and CH 3 PH 2 ; and heating said wafer, thermally activating said doping method and causing solid state diffusion of said dopant species into said semiconductor wafer surface in order to dope at least portions of said surface of said semiconductor wafer with n type doping, wherein said dopant species is phosphorus and wherein said doping is performed without the presence of plasma.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
A direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; exposing said surface of said wafer to a non-ionized process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of said surface of said wafer, wherein said process medium comprises a dopant gas, and wherein said dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, wherein said organic compound is a material selected from the group consisting of (CF 3 ) 2 PCl, (CF 3 ) 2 PCN, (CF 3 ) 2 PI, CF 3 PCl 2 , (C 2 H 5 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, C 2 H 5 PH 2 , and CH 3 PH 2 ; and heating said wafer, thermally activating said doping method and causing solid state diffusion of said dopant species into said semiconductor wafer surface in order to dope at least portions of said surface of said semiconductor wafer with n type doping, wherein said dopant species is phosphorus and wherein said doping is performed without the presence of plasma.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said process medium also comprises a carrier gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said carrier gas is hydrogen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gas-phase doping method is conducted in a thermal processing reactor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said thermal processing reactor is rapid thermal processing equipment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said organic compound further comprises a halogen species in its molecular structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said process medium further comprises an etch-suppressing additive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said etch-suppressing additive comprises silicon in its molecular structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said etch-suppressing additive is a material selected from the group consisting of silicon tetrachloride, silicon tetrafluoride, and dichlorosilane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor wafer is heated to a temperature in the range of 650° C. and 1150° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said process medium has a total pressure in the range of 1 Torr to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said doping process is performed in a high-pressure chamber, and wherein said process medium has a total pressure in the range of 1 atmosphere to 100 atmospheres.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said process medium further comprises a germanium-containing gas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
203 words
A thermally activated direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; exposing said surface of said wafer to a process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of said surface of said wafer, wherein said process medium comprises a dopant gas, and wherein said dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, wherein said organic compound is a material selected from the group consisting of (CF 3 ) 2 PCl, (CF 3 ) 2 PCN, (CF 3 ) 2 PI, CF 3 PCl 2 , (C 2 H 5 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, C 2 H 5 PH 2 , and CH 3 PH 2 , wherein said doping method is conducted in a thermal processing reactor; and heating at least said semiconductor wafer to facilitate the surface chemisorption, surface dissociation, and solid-state diffusion of said dopant species directly into said surface of said semiconductor wafer to produce a doped junction having a depth of less than 1000 Å, doping at least portions of said surface of said semiconductor wafer with n type doping, wherein said dopant species is phosphorus.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
203 words
A thermally activated direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; exposing said surface of said wafer to a process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of said surface of said wafer, wherein said process medium comprises a dopant gas, and wherein said dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, wherein said organic compound is a material selected from the group consisting of (CF 3 ) 2 PCl, (CF 3 ) 2 PCN, (CF 3 ) 2 PI, CF 3 PCl 2 , (C 2 H 5 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, C 2 H 5 PH 2 , and CH 3 PH 2 , wherein said doping method is conducted in a thermal processing reactor; and heating at least said semiconductor wafer to facilitate the surface chemisorption, surface dissociation, and solid-state diffusion of said dopant species directly into said surface of said semiconductor wafer to produce a doped junction having a depth of less than 1000 Å, doping at least portions of said surface of said semiconductor wafer with n type doping, wherein said dopant species is phosphorus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said doping method further comprises exposing said wafer and said dopant gas to a remote plasma gas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said heating step is performed by rapid thermal equipment.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
185 words
A direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; exposing said surface of said wafer to a non-ionized process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of said surface of said wafer, wherein said process medium comprises a dopant gas and a germanium-containing gas, and wherein said dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, wherein said organic compound is a material selected from the group consisting of (CF 3 ) 2 PCl, (CF 3 ) 2 PCN, (CF 3 ) 2 PI, CF 3 PCl 2 , (C 2 H 5 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, C 2 H 5 PH 2 , and CH 3 PH 2 ; and heating said wafer, thermally activating said doping method and causing solid state diffusion of said dopant species into said semiconductor wafer surface in order to dope at least portions of said surface of said semiconductor wafer with n type doping, wherein said dopant species is phosphorus and wherein said doping is performed without the presence of plasma.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
185 words
A direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; exposing said surface of said wafer to a non-ionized process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of said surface of said wafer, wherein said process medium comprises a dopant gas and a germanium-containing gas, and wherein said dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, wherein said organic compound is a material selected from the group consisting of (CF 3 ) 2 PCl, (CF 3 ) 2 PCN, (CF 3 ) 2 PI, CF 3 PCl 2 , (C 2 H 5 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, C 2 H 5 PH 2 , and CH 3 PH 2 ; and heating said wafer, thermally activating said doping method and causing solid state diffusion of said dopant species into said semiconductor wafer surface in order to dope at least portions of said surface of said semiconductor wafer with n type doping, wherein said dopant species is phosphorus and wherein said doping is performed without the presence of plasma.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said process medium also comprises a carrier gas.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said carrier gas is hydrogen.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said gas-phase doping method is conducted in a thermal processing reactor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said thermal processing reactor is rapid thermal processing equipment.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said organic compound further comprises a halogen species in its molecular structure.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said process medium further comprises an etch-suppressing additive.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said etch-suppressing additive comprises silicon in its molecular structure.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 24 wherein said etch-suppressing additive is a material selected from the group consisting of silicon tetrachloride, silicon tetrafluoride, and dichlorosilane.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said semiconductor wafer is heated to a temperature in the range of 650° C. and 1150° C.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said process medium has a total pressure in the range of 1 Torr to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said doping process is performed in a high-pressure chamber, and wherein said process medium has a total pressure in the range of 1 atmosphere to 100 atmospheres.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
202 words
A thermally activated direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; exposing said surface of said wafer to a process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of said surface of said wafer, wherein said process medium comprises a dopant gas and a germanium-containing gas, and wherein said dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, wherein said organic compound is a material selected from the group consisting of (CF 3 ) 2 PCl, (CF 3 ) 2 PCN, (CF 3 ) 2 PI, CF 3 PCI 2 , (C 2 H 5 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, C 2 H 5 PH 2 , and CH 3 PH 2 , wherein said doping method is conducted in a thermal processing reactor; and heating at least said semiconductor wafer to facilitate the surface chemisorption, surface dissociation, and solid-state diffusion of said dopant species directly into said surface of said semiconductor wafer to produce a doped junction having a depth of less than 1000 Å, doping at least portions of said surface of said semiconductor wafer with n type doping, wherein said dopant species is phosphorus.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
202 words
A thermally activated direct doping method for semiconductor wafers, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; exposing said surface of said wafer to a process medium in order to directly dope at least a portion of said surface of said wafer, wherein said process medium comprises a dopant gas and a germanium-containing gas, and wherein said dopant gas comprises an organic compound of a dopant species, wherein said organic compound is a material selected from the group consisting of (CF 3 ) 2 PCl, (CF 3 ) 2 PCN, (CF 3 ) 2 PI, CF 3 PCI 2 , (C 2 H 5 ) 2 PH, (CH 3 ) 2 PH, C 2 H 5 PH 2 , and CH 3 PH 2 , wherein said doping method is conducted in a thermal processing reactor; and heating at least said semiconductor wafer to facilitate the surface chemisorption, surface dissociation, and solid-state diffusion of said dopant species directly into said surface of said semiconductor wafer to produce a doped junction having a depth of less than 1000 Å, doping at least portions of said surface of said semiconductor wafer with n type doping, wherein said dopant species is phosphorus.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said doping method further comprises exposing said wafer and said dopant gas to a remote plasma gas.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said heating step is performed by rapid thermal equipment.
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