Doping of catenated phosphorus materials

US4713192A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Stauffer Chemical Company · US

Inventors

• Christian G. Michel · Ossining, US
• Rozalie Schachter · New York, US
• Mark A. Kuck · Upper Montclair, US
• John A. Baumann · Dobbs Ferry, US
• Paul M. Raccah · Chicago, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 4, 1984
• Grant date: Dec 15, 1987
• Expiry date: Dec 4, 2004

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10K10/46
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

High phosphorus polyphosphides, namely MP.sub.x, where M is an alkali metal (Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs) or metals mimicking the bonding behavior of an alkali metal, and where x=7 to 15 or very much greater than 15 (new forms of phosphorus) are useful semiconductors in their crystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous forms (boules and films). MP.sub.15 appears to have the best properties and KP.sub.15 is the easier to synthesize. P may include other pnictides as well as other trivalent atomic species. Resistance lowering may be accomplished by doping with Ni, Fe, Cr, and other metals having occupied d or f outer electronic levels; or by incorporation of As and other pnictides. Rectifying Schottky junction devices doped with Ni and employing Ni as a back contact comprise Cu, Al, Mg, Ni, Au, Ag, and Ti as junction forming top contacts. Photovoltaic, photoresistive, and photoluminescent devices are also disclosed. All semiconductor applications appear feasible. Single and multiple source vapor transport, condensed phase, melt quench, flash evaporation, chemical vapor deposition, and molecular flow deposition may be employed in synthesizing these materials. Vapor transport may be employed t…