Method for producing a crystalline germanium layer on a substrate
US8956453B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 18, 2008 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/24355
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for providing a crystalline germanium layer on a crystalline base substrate having a crystalline surface. The method comprises cleaning the base substrate for removing contaminants and/or native oxides from the surface, providing an amorphous germanium layer on the surface of the base substrate while exposing to the base substrate to a hydrogen source such as e.g. a hydrogen plasma, a H2 flux or hydrogen originating from dissociation of GeH4 and/or to a non-reactive gas source such as N2, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn or mixtures thereof, and crystallizing the amorphous germanium layer by annealing the base substrate so as to provide a crystalline germanium layer. The present invention also provides a method for the production of a photovoltaic cell or a photo-electrolysis cell or for forming a CMOS device by using the method according to embodiments of the invention and a substrate comprising a crystalline germanium layer formed by a method according to embodiments of the invention.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.