Zinc oxide semiconductor member formed on silicon substrate
US6589362B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/50
Abstract
The surface of a silicon substrate is covered with a natural oxide film having a thickness of several tens of angstroms. In an initial process, the natural oxide film is removed with hydrogen fluoride (HF) diluted with pure water to 10% (process(1)). The surface of the silicon substrate from which the oxide film has been removed is covered with hydrogen atoms. A large amount of plasma energy is applied to the silicon substrate in a process (2) for depositing a ZnO thin film thereon by sputtering. Hydrogen is dissociated by this energy at low temperature as well as a thin film buffer layer, in which an amorphous material and fine crystals are mixed, is formed by easing the difference of lattice intervals between silicon and zinc oxide. Next, in a process (3), a ZnO thin film of high quality is formed on the buffer layer by MO-CVD using it as a seed crystal. With this arrangement, a zinc oxide semiconductor member suitable for a light receiving element can be formed on a silicon substrate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.