Remote Hydrogen Plasma With Ion Filter for Terminating Silicon Dangling Bonds
First Claim
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1. A method of processing a silicon layer on a substrate comprising:
- disposing a substrate in a chamber having a remote plasma source coupled thereto;
processing a silicon layer and creating dangling silicon bonds in the silicon layer;
generating a hydrogen plasma in the remote plasma source, the hydrogen plasma comprising a mixture including hydrogen radicals and ions;
passing the hydrogen plasma through an ion filter to remove substantially all of the ions, creating a filtered hydrogen plasma; and
exposing the silicon layer containing dangling bonds to the filtered hydrogen plasma to remove dangling silicon bonds.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for repairing silicon dangling bonds resulting from semiconductor processing are disclosed. The silicon dangling bonds can be repaired by introducing hydrogen radicals with substantially no hydrogen ions into the processing chamber to react with the silicon dangling bonds, eliminating them.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of processing a silicon layer on a substrate comprising:
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disposing a substrate in a chamber having a remote plasma source coupled thereto; processing a silicon layer and creating dangling silicon bonds in the silicon layer; generating a hydrogen plasma in the remote plasma source, the hydrogen plasma comprising a mixture including hydrogen radicals and ions; passing the hydrogen plasma through an ion filter to remove substantially all of the ions, creating a filtered hydrogen plasma; and exposing the silicon layer containing dangling bonds to the filtered hydrogen plasma to remove dangling silicon bonds. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of processing a Si:
- H layer on solar cell comprising;
disposing a substrate in a chamber having a remote plasma source coupled thereto; creating dangling silicon bonds in the Si;
H layer;generating a hydrogen plasma in the remote plasma source, the hydrogen plasma comprising a mixture including hydrogen radicals and ions; passing the hydrogen plasma through an ion filter to remove essentially all of the ions, creating a filtered hydrogen plasma; and exposing the Si;
H layer containing dangling bonds to the filtered hydrogen plasma to remove dangling silicon bonds. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
- H layer on solar cell comprising;
Specification