Patent US6190937B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6190937B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of producing semiconductor member and method of producing solar cell
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1997-12-29
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Granted: 2001-02-20
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Expires: 2017-12-29
Abstract
Abstract To accomplish both higher performance of a crystal and lower cost in a semiconductor member, and to produce a solar cell having a high efficiency and a flexible shape at low cost, the semiconductor member is produced by the following steps, (a) forming a porous layer in the surface region of a substrate, (b) immersing the porous layer into a melting solution in which elements for forming a semiconductor layer to be grown is dissolved, under a reducing atmosphere at a high temperature, to grow a crystal semiconductor layer on the surface of the porous layer, (c) bonding another substrate onto the surface of the substrate on which the porous layer and the semiconductor layer are formed and (d) separating the substrate from the another substrate at the porous layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsumi Nakagawa
- 👤 Takao Yonehara
- 👤 Shoji Nishida
- 👤 Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:58
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10P; H10P90/00; H10P90/12; H10P90/16; C; C30; C30B; C30B19/00; C30B19/12; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/0321; H10D30/0323; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/674; H10D30/6741; H10D30/6743; H10D30/6744; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/14; H10F10/142; H10F71/121; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/01; H10H20/011; H10H20/013; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/26; H10P14/263; H10P14/265; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/32; H10P14/3242; H10P14/3256; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P50/00; H10P50/60; H10P50/61; H10P50/613; H10P90/19; H10P90/1904; H10P90/1906; H10P90/1914; H10W; H10W10/00; H10W10/10; H10W10/181; H10P14/24; H10P14/38; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/74; H10P72/7434; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/544; Y02E10/547; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/977
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a porous layer in a surface region of a first crystalline substrate; (b) growing a first thin-film semiconductor layer on a surface of the porous layer in vapor phase by decomposing a source gas; (c) immersing the first thin-film semiconductor layer into a melting solution in which elements for forming a second thin-film semiconductor are dissolved up to a saturated state or a supersaturated state under a reducing atmosphere to grow a second thin-film semiconductor layer of a conductive type different from that of the first thin-film semiconductor layer on a surface of the first thin-film semiconductor layer in liquid phase; (d) bonding a second substrate onto a surface of the second thin-film semiconductor layer or onto a surface of a layer further formed on the second thin-film semiconductor layer; (e) separating the first thin-film semiconductor layer from the first substrate by exerting a force on the porous layer to transfer the first thin-film semiconductor layer to the second substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a porous layer in a surface region of a first crystalline substrate; (b) growing a first thin-film semiconductor layer on a surface of the porous layer in vapor phase by decomposing a source gas; (c) immersing the first thin-film semiconductor layer into a melting solution in which elements for forming a second thin-film semiconductor are dissolved up to a saturated state or a supersaturated state under a reducing atmosphere to grow a second thin-film semiconductor layer of a conductive type different from that of the first thin-film semiconductor layer on a surface of the first thin-film semiconductor layer in liquid phase; (d) bonding a second substrate onto a surface of the second thin-film semiconductor layer or onto a surface of a layer further formed on the second thin-film semiconductor layer; (e) separating the first thin-film semiconductor layer from the first substrate by exerting a force on the porous layer to transfer the first thin-film semiconductor layer to the second substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 1 , wherein the step of bonding the second substrate is conducted by using an adhesive.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 2 , wherein the adhesive is a water-soluble adhesive.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: bonding a third substrate onto a separation surface of the substrate; and separating the thin-film semiconductor layer from the second substrate to transfer the thin-film semiconductor layer to the third substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 1 , wherein the second substrate has a water permeability.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 4 , wherein the step of separating the thin-film semiconductor layer bonded with an adhesive from the second substrate to transfer the thin-film semiconductor layer to the third substrate is conducted by lowering adhesion of the adhesive.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 4 , wherein the step of separating the thin-film semiconductor layer bonded with an adhesive from the second substrate to transfer the thin-film semiconductor layer to the third substrate is conducted by lowering adhesion of the adhesive through the second substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 4 , wherein the step of separating the thin-film semiconductor layer from the second substrate to transfer the thin-film semiconductor layer to the third substrate is conducted by adding a water to the second substrate having a water permeability to lower adhesion of the adhesive.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 4 , wherein the step of separating the thin-film semiconductor layer bonded with a water-soluble adhesive from the second substrate to transfer the thin-film semiconductor layer to the third substrate is conducted by adding a water to the water-soluble adhesive to lower adhesion of the adhesive.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 4 , wherein the step of separating the thin-film semiconductor layer bonded with a water-soluble adhesive from the second substrate having a water permeability to transfer the thin-film semiconductor layer to the third substrate is conducted by adding a water to the water-soluble adhesive through the second substrate having a water permeability to lower adhesion of the adhesive.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of treating a surface of the first substrate after being subjected to the separation and then reusing the treated first substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 11 , further comprising, after the surface of the first substrate from which the first thin-film semiconductor layer has been separated is treated, a step of growing a semiconductor layer having the same composition as that of the first substrate and doped with an impurity on the surface of the first substrate in liquid phase, and then repeating the steps (a) to (e).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 12 , further comprising, prior to the formation of the semiconductor layer doped with the impurity, a step of forming a semiconductor layer doped with no impurity or doped with a small content of an impurity on the treated surface of the first substrate by liquid phase growth, and then repeating the steps (a) to (e).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of producing a semiconductor member according to claim 1 , wherein semiconductor having a purity of 99.99% or less is used as the first substrate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-20 | 2004-08-21 | 2005-02-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-20 | 2008-08-21 | 2009-02-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-20 | 2012-08-21 | 2013-02-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |