Method and Apparatus for Silicon Film Deposition
First Claim
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1. A method for depositing a silicon film on a substrate, comprising:
- heating a hydrogen-containing gas;
delivering the heated hydrogen-containing gas into a plasma generation region to energize the hydrogen-containing gas to generate hydrogen radicals for use in a processing region of a processing chamber, the processing region being defined as a space between a showerhead, the substrate and walls of the processing chamber; and
introducing a silicon-containing gas into the processing region of the processing chamber separate from the hydrogen-containing gas to prevent mixing with the hydrogen radicals outside of the processing region of the processing chamber.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to apparatus and methods for depositing amorphous and microcrystalline silicon films during the formation of solar cells. Specifically, embodiments of the invention provide for a pre-heated hydrogen-containing gas to be introduced into a processing chamber separately from the silicon-containing gas. A plasma, struck from the heated hydrogen-containing gas, reacts with the silicon-containing gas to produce a silicon film on a substrate.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for depositing a silicon film on a substrate, comprising:
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heating a hydrogen-containing gas; delivering the heated hydrogen-containing gas into a plasma generation region to energize the hydrogen-containing gas to generate hydrogen radicals for use in a processing region of a processing chamber, the processing region being defined as a space between a showerhead, the substrate and walls of the processing chamber; and introducing a silicon-containing gas into the processing region of the processing chamber separate from the hydrogen-containing gas to prevent mixing with the hydrogen radicals outside of the processing region of the processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for depositing a silicon film, comprising:
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a processing chamber having a plurality of walls, a showerhead, and a substrate support defining a processing region within the processing chamber, the showerhead comprising a plurality of gas passages; a silicon-containing gas source coupled to the processing region through the plurality of gas passages; and a hydrogen-containing gas source coupled to the processing region through a gas conduit, the gas conduit thermally coupled to a heater to increase the temperature of the hydrogen-containing gas, the hydrogen-containing gas source isolated from the silicon-containing gas source to prevent mixing of the hydrogen-containing gas and the silicon-containing gas outside of the processing region. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification