Method of forming amorphous silicon film

• US 4,532,199 A
• Filed: 02/27/1984
• Issued: 07/30/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Masataka Hirose, Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Suzuki, Katsumi, Hirose, Masataka, Ueno, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US06/583,855
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 148/174, 427/39, 427/45.1, 427/74, 427/86, 136/258 AM, 430/85, 430/86, 430/95, 430/128, 430/133
• US Class Current: 430/128
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/24 Deposition of silicon only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/511 using microwave discharges
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/082 and not being incorporated in a bonding material, e.g. vacuum deposited
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02425 Conductive materials, e.g. metallic silicides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02576 N-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02579 P-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/202 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A method of forming an amorphous silicon film includes the steps of bringing a gas which is pre-excited by electron cyclotron resonance generated by an alternating electric field and a magnetic field into contact with a raw material gas containing silicone atoms in a reaction chamber in which a substrate is placed, so that the raw material gas is converted to radicals, and forming an amorphous silicon film on a surface of the substrate by the reaction of radicals therewith. Microwaves can be used as the alternating electric field.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photoconductive drum comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at least one plasma generation chamber;

(b) providing a reaction chamber which communicates with, and is spaced apart from, said at least one plasma generation chamber, and in which a rotatable drum having an electrically conductive substrate formed on the cylindrical surface thereof is disposed;

(c) exciting, in said plasma generation chamber, a plasma generating gas consisting of hydrogen gas or a mixture of hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas by electron cyclotron resonance generated by an alternating electric field and a magnetic field, thereby forming a plasma gas;

(d) introducing a raw material gas comprising a silicon atom-containing gas into said reaction chamber and directing the stream of said raw material gas toward said drum along a raw material gas feed direction;

(e) rotating said drum while introducing said plasma gas from said at least one plasma generation chamber into said reaction chamber in a plasma gas feed direction such that said plasma gas feed direction intersects with said raw material gas feed direction;

(f) continuing to rotate said drum while contacting said plasma gas stream with said raw material gas in said reaction chamber thereby converting said raw material gas into radicals; and

(g) forming a photoconductive film comprising amorphous silicon on said conductive substrate of said rotating drum by reaction of said radicals with said substrate surface.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the alternating electric field is constituted by microwaves.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said silicon atom-containing gas is silane or disilane.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said raw material gas further comprises a gas containing a dopant element selected from the elements belonging to Groups IIIA and VA of the Periodic Table.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein a second plasma generation chamber is also provided such that said second plasma generation chamber is opposed to said first plasma generation chamber, and said plasma is also introduced into said reaction chamber from said second plasma generation chamber.