LOW TEMPERATURE METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MICROWAVE CRYSTAL REGROWTH

• US 20130023111A1
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Purtell, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US13/535,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20130023111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02573 Conductivity type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02667 Crystallisation or recrystallisation of non-monocrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. regrowth
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/324 Thermal treatment for modifying the properties of semiconductor bodies, e.g. annealing, sintering H01L21/20 - H01L21/288 and H01L21/302 - H01L21/322 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/16 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1602 Diamond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1606 Graphene
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66734 with a step of recessing the gate electrode, e.g. to form a trench gate electrode

Abstract

Semiconductor devices and methods for making such devices are described. The semiconductor devices contain an epitaxial layer made by providing a semiconductor substrate containing an upper surface with a single-crystal structure; forming a layer on the upper surface of the substrate, wherein the layer comprises substantially the same material as the semiconductor substrate and comprises an amorphous or polycrystalline structure; and heating the layer using low temperature microwaves to change the amorphous structure to a single-crystal structure. The epitaxial layer can also be made by providing the semiconductor substrate with an upper surface of a single-crystal material and then forming an epitaxial layer on the substrate upper surface using microwaves at a wafer temperature less than about 550° C. In-situ or implanted dopants in the epitaxial layer can be activated using the same, or separate, low temperature microwave processing. Other embodiments are described.

Claims

1. A method for making an epitaxial layer, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate containing an upper surface with a single-crystal structure;

forming a layer on the upper surface of the substrate, wherein the layer comprises substantially the same material as the semiconductor substrate and comprises an amorphous or polycrystalline structure; and

heating the layer using low temperature microwaves to change the amorphous or polycrystalline structure to a single-crystal structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises Si.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises C.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the low temperature of the heating process is less than about 550°

C.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the low temperature of the heating process ranges from about 200°

C. to about 550°

C.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the low temperature of the heating process ranges from about 400°

C. to about 550°

C.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising doping the layer with a dopant and then activating the dopant using low temperature microwaves.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein heating by microwaves and the activation by microwaves are performed at substantially the same time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed using a batch reactor which deposits the layer on more than one wafer at substantially the same time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method is performed using a batch reactor which deposits the layer on 1 to 12 wafers at substantially the same time.

11. A method for making an epitaxial layer, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate with an upper surface comprising a single-crystal structure; and

forming an epitaxial layer with a single crystal structure on the substrate upper surface using microwaves at a temperature less than about 550°

C.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the material comprises Si.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the material comprises C.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the low temperature of the heating process ranges from about 200°

C. to about 550°

C.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the low temperature of the heating process ranges from about 400°

C. to about 550°

C.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising doping the layer with a dopant and then activating the dopant using low temperature microwaves.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein heating by microwaves and the activation by microwaves are performed at substantially the same time.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the method is performed using a batch reactor which deposits the layer on more than one wafer at substantially the same time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method is performed using a batch reactor which deposits the layer on 1 to 12 wafers at substantially the same time.

20. A method for making an epitaxial layer, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate containing an upper surface with a single-crystal structure;

forming a layer on the upper surface of the substrate using rapid thermal processing, wherein the layer comprises substantially the same material as the semiconductor substrate and comprises an amorphous or polycrystalline structure; and

annealing the layer using microwaves using microwaves at a temperature less than about 550°

C. to change the amorphous or polycrystalline structure to a single-crystal structure.