SUPERLATTICE MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS

• US 20160197146A1
• Filed: 03/16/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Semiconductor LLC
• Original Assignee: Quantum Semiconductor LLC
• Inventors: Augusto, Carlos Jorge R.P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,640,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1203 the substrate comprising an insulating body on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI three-dimensional layout H01L27/0688
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/146 Imager structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1461 characterised by the photosensitive area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14612 involving a transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1462 Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/045 by their particular orientation of crystalline planes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0649 Dielectric regions, e.g. SiO2 regions, air gaps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/151 Compositional structures H01L29/157 and H01L29/158 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/155 Comprising only semiconductor materials H01L29/154 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/161 including two or more of the elements provided for in group H01L29/16 , e.g. alloys H01L29/1604 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/165 in different semiconductor regions , e.g. heterojunctions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/68 controllable by only the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to an electrode which does not carry the current to be rectified, amplified or switched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7371 Vertical transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7833 with lightly doped drain or source extension, e.g. LDD MOSFET's; DDD MOSFET's for thin film transistors H01L29/78618
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035236 Superlattices; Multiple quantum well structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/101 Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1812 including only AIVBIV alloys, e.g. SiGe
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A superlattice cell that includes Group IV elements is repeated multiple times so as to form the superlattice. Each superlattice cell has multiple ordered atomic planes that are parallel to one another. At least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions. One or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon, tin, and lead. These superlattices make a variety of applications including, but not limited to, transistors, light sensors, and light sources.

Claims

1. A superlattice system, comprising:

a superlattice cell repeated multiple times so as to form a superlattice, each superlattice cell having multiple ordered atomic planes that are parallel to one another,

at least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions and one or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell includes carbon.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each also includes one or more group IV elements other than carbon.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each also includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of silicon, germanium, lead, and tin.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the superlattice cell has a total number of atomic planes that is less than or equal to 40.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each has a chemical composition selected from a group consisting of Si₄C, Ge₄C, Sn₄C, Si₆C₂, Ge₆C₂, Sn₆C₂, SiGe₃C, Si₂Ge₂C, Si₃GeC, SiSn₃C, Si₂Sn₂C, Si₃SnC, GeSn₃C, Ge₂Sn₂C, and Ge₃SnC.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the superlattice cell is represented by a formula selected from a group consisting of (Si₄C)₂—

(Ge₅)₂, (Si₄C)₄—

(Ge₅)₃, (Ge₄C)₅—

(Ge₅)₅, (Ge₄C)₄—

(Si₅)₂, (Ge₄C)₂—

(Ge₅)₃, (Ge₄C)₃—

(Ge₅)₂, (Ge₄C)₃—

(Ge₅)₄, (Ge₄C)₃—

(Ge₅)₅, (Ge₄C)₄—

(Ge₅)₃, (Ge₄C)₄—

(Ge₅)₂, (Ge₄C)₅—

(Ge₅)₂, (Ge₄C)₅—

(Ge₅)₃, (Ge₄C)₆—

(Ge₅)₂, (Ge₄C)₆—

(Ge₅)₄, (Ge₄C)₇—

(Ge₅)₃, (Ge₄C)₈—

(Ge₅)₂, (Si₄C)₂—

(Ge₅)₃, (Si₄C)₃—

(Ge₅)₂, (Si₄C)₃—

(Ge₅)₃, and (Si₅)₄—

(Si₄C)₄.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate having a surface covalently bonded to the superlattice.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the surface is selected from a group consisting of the (100) surface of silicon, the (110) surface of silicon, the (111) surface of silicon, the (113) surface of silicon, the (115) surface of silicon, (100) surface of germanium, the (110) surface of germanium, the (111) surface of germanium, the (113) surface of germanium, the (115) surface of germanium.

9. A superlattice system, comprising:

a superlattice cell repeated multiple times so as to form a superlattice, each superlattice cell having multiple atomic planes that are parallel to one another,

at least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions and one or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell include carbon, and

one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each includes more than 10% substitutional carbon.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each also includes one or more group IV elements other than carbon.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each also includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of silicon, germanium, lead, and tin.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the superlattice cell has a total number of atomic planes that is less than or equal to 40.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes each has a chemical composition selected from a group consisting of Si_1-xGe_x where x is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1, Si_1-yC_y where y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, Si_1-x-yGe_xC_y where x is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1 and y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, Si_1-zSn_z where z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.1, Ge_1-zSn_z where z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.05, C_1-zSn_z where z is greater than or equal to zero and less than 1, Si_1-x-zGe_xSn_z where x is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1 and z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.1, Si_1-y-zC_ySn_z where y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, and z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, Ge_1-y-zC_ySn_z where y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, Si_1-x-y-zGe_xC_ySn_z where x is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1 and y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, Si_1-xPb_x where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1, Si_1-x-yPb_xC_y where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25, Si_1-x-y-zPb_xC_yGe_z where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.85, Si_1-x-y-z-tPb_xC_yGe_zSn_t where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.85 or 0.95 and t is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25, Ge_1-xPb_x where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1, Ge_1-x-yPb_xC_y where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25, Ge_1-x-y-zPb_xC_ySn_z where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that includes carbon each has a chemical composition selected from a group consisting of Si_1-yC_y where y is greater than 0.1 and less than or equal to 0.25, Si_1-x-yGe_xC_y where x is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 1 and y is greater than 0.01 and less than or equal to 0.25, C_1-zSn_z where z is greater than or equal to zero and less than 1, Si_1-y-zC_ySn_z where y is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, Ge_1-y-zC_ySn_z where y is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, and Si_1-x-y-zGe_xC_ySn_z where x is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1 and y is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, Si_1-x-yPb_xC_y where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25, Si_1-x-y-zPb_xC_yGe_z where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and/or less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.95, Si_1-x-y-z-tPb_xC_yGe_zSn_t where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.95 and t is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25, Ge_1-x-yPb_xC_y where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25, Ge_1-x-y-zPb_xC_ySn_z where x is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.1 and y is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25 and z is greater than or equal to 0.001 and less than or equal to 0.25.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a substrate having a surface covalently bonded to the superlattice, and

the surface is selected from a group consisting of the (100) surface of silicon, the (110) surface of silicon, the (111) surface of silicon, the (113) surface of silicon, the (115) surface of silicon, (100) surface of germanium, the (110) surface of germanium, the (111) surface of germanium, the (113) surface of germanium, the (115) surface of germanium.

16. A superlattice system, comprising:

a superlattice cell repeated multiple times so as to form a superlattice, each superlattice cell having multiple atomic planes that are parallel to one another,

at least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions and one or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell include carbon,

the superlattice cell including a total number of atomic planes that is less than or equal to 40.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each also includes one or more group IV elements other than carbon.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each also includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of silicon, germanium, lead, and tin.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein one or more of the one or more atomic planes that include carbon each has a chemical composition selected from a group consisting of Si₄C, Ge₄C, Sn₄C, Si₆C₂, Ge₆C₂, Sn₆C₂, Si₂Sn₂C, Si₃SnC, Ge₂Sn₂C, and Ge₃SnC.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a substrate having a surface covalently bonded to the superlattice.