US4416755A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for producing semiconducting films
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1981-04-03
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Granted: 1983-11-22
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Expires: 2001-04-03
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for producing semiconducting films on a substrate in a vacuum chamber comprising a plasma generator, means for directing and accelerating an ion beam from the plasma to a sputtering target also contained within the vacuum chamber. A shield means having a low sputtering efficiency compared to the sputtered target is placed in the vacuum chamber between stray ion beams and the vacuum chamber surface and any implements to intercept stray or deflected ion beams and thereby minimize sputtering of the vacuum chamber and implements by the plasma which in turn minimizes the material of which the vacuum chamber and implements are made being present as impurities in the newly formed film. In a preferred embodiment amorphous silicon films are prepared with a ion beam containing a reactive gas which passivates the dangling bonds in silicon film.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald P. Ceasar
- 👤 Scott F. Grimshaw
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:08
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/30; H01J37/317; H01J37/3178; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/34; C23C14/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
Apparatus for producing semiconducting films on a substrate comprising; a vacuum chamber, a plasma generator in communication with said vacuum chamber, means for extracting, accelerating and directing an ion beam from said plasma toward a sputtering target comprising said semiconductor material, said target being contained within said vacuum chamber, means to reduce the pressure within said vacuum chamber, shield means having a low sputtering efficiency compared to said sputtering target and being disposed in said vacuum chamber between stray ion beams and said vacuum chamber surface and any implements contained therein whereby sputtering of said vacuum chamber surface and or said implements by said plasma is minimized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus for producing semiconducting films on a substrate comprising; a vacuum chamber, a plasma generator in communication with said vacuum chamber, means for extracting, accelerating and directing an ion beam from said plasma toward a sputtering target comprising said semiconductor material, said target being contained within said vacuum chamber, means to reduce the pressure within said vacuum chamber, shield means having a low sputtering efficiency compared to said sputtering target and being disposed in said vacuum chamber between stray ion beams and said vacuum chamber surface and any implements contained therein whereby sputtering of said vacuum chamber surface and or said implements by said plasma is minimized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target and said semiconducting film comprise the same element or elements from Group IV, of the Periodic Table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shield is flexible.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said shield is made of carbon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said carbon is a thermally shocked carbon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said shield withstands high temperature and has low outgassing properties.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
99 words
The method of producing semiconducting films on a substrate comprising generating a plasma, extracting, accelerating and directing an ion beam of said plasma toward a sputtering target comprising said semiconductor, said target being contained within a vacuum chamber at reduced pressure, sputtering said target with said ion beam to sputter the target material, shielding said vacuum chamber surface from stray ion beams whereby sputtering of said vacuum chamber surface by said plasma is minimized, collecting said sputtered target material as a film on said substrate, said substrate being physically isolated from the plasma generating process and the sputtering process.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
99 words
The method of producing semiconducting films on a substrate comprising generating a plasma, extracting, accelerating and directing an ion beam of said plasma toward a sputtering target comprising said semiconductor, said target being contained within a vacuum chamber at reduced pressure, sputtering said target with said ion beam to sputter the target material, shielding said vacuum chamber surface from stray ion beams whereby sputtering of said vacuum chamber surface by said plasma is minimized, collecting said sputtered target material as a film on said substrate, said substrate being physically isolated from the plasma generating process and the sputtering process.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 including the additional step of shielding implements within the vacuum chamber from stray ion beams.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said plasma comprises a reactive gas and an inert gas heavier than the reactive gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said target and said semiconducting film comprise the same element or elements from Group IVa of the Periodic Table.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said shield comprises a flexible form of carbon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said semiconducting film is amorphous silicon, said target material comprises substantially pure crystalline silicon and said reactive gas is hydrogen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said amorphous film of silicon has silicon atoms coordinated with hydrogen substantially completely as the monohydride.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said ion beam is collimated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said shield comprises a thermally shocked carbon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said target material is amorphous, polycrystalline or crystalline material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature of from about 25° C. to about 300° C.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the substrate is maintained at ambient temperature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said inert gas is argon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said reactive gas is present in an amount sufficient to passivate some of the dangling bonds formed in the sputtered material collected on said substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said reactive gas is hydrogen which is present in said plasma in an amount of up to about 90 percent by volume.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said substrate is flexible.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said amorphous silicon is deposited at a rate of from about 0.6 microns per hour to about 3.0 microns per hour.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the pressure in the vacuum chamber during sputtering is from about 5×10 -9 Torr to about 10 -3 .
Claim 27
Independent Claim
109 words
The method of producing semiconducting films on a substrate comprising generating a plasma of reactive gas, extracting, accelerating and directing an ion beam of said plasma toward a target of material of which the film is to be formed, said target being contained within a vacuum chamber at reduced pressure, sputtering said target with said reactive ion beam to sputter the target material, shielding said vacuum chamber surface from stray ion beams whereby sputtering of said vacuum chamber surface by said plasma is minimized, collecting said sputtered target material as a film on said substrate, said substrate being physically isolated from the plasma generating process and the sputtering process.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
109 words
The method of producing semiconducting films on a substrate comprising generating a plasma of reactive gas, extracting, accelerating and directing an ion beam of said plasma toward a target of material of which the film is to be formed, said target being contained within a vacuum chamber at reduced pressure, sputtering said target with said reactive ion beam to sputter the target material, shielding said vacuum chamber surface from stray ion beams whereby sputtering of said vacuum chamber surface by said plasma is minimized, collecting said sputtered target material as a film on said substrate, said substrate being physically isolated from the plasma generating process and the sputtering process.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said plasma comprises a reactive gas and an inert gas heavier than the reactive gas.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 26 wherein said reactive gas is present in an amount sufficient to passivate some of the dangling bonds formed in the sputtered material collected on said substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-11-21 | 1987-05-23 | 1987-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-11-21 | 1991-05-23 | 1991-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-11-21 | 1995-05-23 | 1995-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |