Growth of polycrystalline semiconductor film with intermetallic nucleating layer
US4132571A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 3, 1977 |
| Grant date | Jan 2, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 3, 1997 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S148/154
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method is disclosed for fabricating a thin elemental semiconductor, e.g., Si or Ge, film with columnar grains in a filamentary structure, by the use of an intermetallic compound incorporating the elemental semiconductor to form a nucleating layer for the growth of the semiconducting film. The semiconductor is grown from vapor phase by the technique of either vacuum evaporation or chemical vapor deposition, e.g., by decomposition of SiH.sub.4. The semiconductor e.g., Si, is initially deposited onto a thin film of a specific metal, e.g., Pt or Ni, on any inert substrate, e.g., SiO.sub.2 or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, which is held at a temperature, e.g., 900.degree. C, above the eutectic point, i.e., 830.degree. C, of an intermetallic compound and the metallic film, and below the eutectic point, i.e., 979.degree. C, of another intermetallic compound and the semiconductor. Deposition of the semiconductor onto the metallic film produces a layer of liquid comprising the semiconductor and metal, which increases in thickness until the metallic layer is completely consumed. Additional deposition of the semiconductor produces a supersaturated liquid from which large crystallites of the intermetalli…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.