Graphotaxially forming a photosensitive detector array

• US 4,988,641 A
• Filed: 10/10/1989
• Issued: 01/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Solomon, Allen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hearn, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PICARDAT, KEVIN M
• Application Number:
  US07/419,211
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 437/83, 437/3, 437/5, 437/91, 437/92, 437/114, 437/89, 437/84, 437/2, 156/624, 156/DIG. 72, 156/DIG. 98, 156/616.3
• US Class Current: 438/481
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02488 Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02562 Tellurides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02639 Preparation of substrate for selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02645 Seed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1446 in a repetitive configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0368 including polycrystalline semiconductors H01L31/0392 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1032 the devices comprising active layers formed only by AIIBVI compounds, e.g. HgCdTe IR photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1832 comprising ternary compounds, e.g. Hg Cd Te
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 117/913 Graphoepitaxy or surface modification to enhance epitaxy

Abstract

A polycrystalline or amorphous substrate having a single crystalline layer formed thereupon for making a photosensitive detector array and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The single crystalline layer is grown by graphotaxy, i.e. lateral epitaxy, upon the non-single crystalline substrate. A seed crystal of the material which will comprise the layer to be grown is embedded in the substrate. Graphotaxial growth occurs from the seed crystal and travels across the surface of the substrate. Various methods of obtaining graphotaxial growth are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for forming a single crystalline layer upon a non-single crystalline substrate, comprising the steps of:

(a) depositing a glass layer upon the substrate;

(b) placing a seed crystal of a single crystalline material of a first type upon the glass layer;

(c) liquefying the glass layer so as to cause the seed crystal to sink into and be sealed to the glass layer; and

(d) growing from the seed crystal a first layer of material of a first type graphotaxially across the surface of the glass layer.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

(a) the step of depositing a glass layer upon a substrate comprises depositing a glass layer upon an alumina ceramic material; and

(b) wherein the step of placing a seed crystal of a first type upon the glass utilizes a single crystalline surface of HgCdTe as the seed crystal.

3. The method recited in claim 2 further comprising the step of forming vias through the substrate.

4. The method recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of depositing a metal film upon the glass layer to form electrodes and a conductive grid prior to growing the first layer of material of a first type graphotaxially across the surface of the glass layer.

5. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the step of growing the first layer of material of a first type graphotaxially across the surface of the glass layer comprises the process of liquid epitaxy.

6. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the step of growing the first layer of material of a first type graphotaxially across the surface of the glass layer comprises the process of vapor phase epitaxy.

7. The method recited in claim 4 further comprising the step of forming a region of material of a second type in the regions substantially over the electrodes to create p-n junctions.

8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the step of forming the regions of material of a second type comprises the process of masked deep ion implantation.

9. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the step of forming the regions of material of a second type comprises the process of counter doping through diffusion from the electrode material.

10. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the step of forming the regions of material of a second type comprises the process of ion implantation of the first layer of material of the first type to form regions of material of a second type and growing a second layer of material of the first type substantially over the first layer of material of the first type including the regions of material of a second type formed in the first layer.

11. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the step of forming the regions of material of a second type substantially over the electrodes comprises forming the first layer of material of a first type only in the regions substantially over the electrodes and then forming a second layer of material of a second type over substantially the entire surface of the substrate.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of forming conductive vias extending from the electrodes through the substrate.

13. A method for forming a single crystalline material upon a non-single crystalline substrate comprising the steps of:

(a) graphotaxially growing a first layer of material of a first type upon a first substrate;

(b) cutting chips from the first substrate for use as seed chips;

(c) embedding the seed chips in a cavity formed in a second substrate, the second substrate having a glass layer substantially covering its upper surface; and

(d) growing a first layer of seed material of a first type graphotaxially across the surface of the second substrate.

14. The method recited in claim 13 wherein:

(a) the step of graphotaxially growing a first layer of material of a first type comprises graphotaxially growing a first layer of HgCdTe; and

(b) the step of embedding the seed chip in a cavity formed in a second substrate comprises embedding the seed chip in an alumina ceramic material.

15. The method recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of forming vias through the substrate.

16. The method recited in claim 15 further comprising the step of depositing a metal film upon the glass layer of the second substrate to form electrodes and a conductive grid prior to growing the first layer of material of a first type graphotaxially across the surface of the glass layer.

17. The method recited in claim 16 wherein the step of growing the layer of seed material of a first type graphotaxially across the surface of the glass layer comprises the process of liquid epitaxy.

18. The method recited in claim 16 wherein the step of growing the layer of seed material of a first type graphotaxially across the surface of the glass layer comprises the process of vapor phase epitaxy.

19. The method recited in claim 16 further comprising the step of forming a region of material of a second type in the regions substantially over the electrodes to create p-n junctions.

20. The method recited in claim 19 wherein the step of forming the regions of material of a second type substantially over the electrodes comprises the process of masked deep ion implantation.

21. The method recited in claim 19 wherein the step of forming the regions of material of a second type substantially over the electrodes comprises the process of counter doping the layer by diffusion from the electrode material.

22. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the step of forming the regions of material of a second type substantially over the electrodes comprises the process of ion implantation of the first layer of material of the first type to form regions of material of the second type and the growing of a second layer of material of the first type substantially over the first layer of material of a first type including the regions of a second type formed in the first layer.

23. The method recited in claim 19 wherein the step of forming the regions of material of a second type substantially over the electrodes comprises the process of forming the first layer of material of a first type only in the regions over the electrodes and then forming a second layer of material of a second type over substantially the entire surface of the substrate.

24. The method recited in claim 13 wherein the step of graphotaxially growing a first layer of seed material upon a first substrate comprises the formation of seed chips which are thinner than the height of the second substrate, including the glass layers of the second substrate.

25. The method recited in claim 13 wherein the step of graphotaxially growing a first layer of seed material upon a first substrate comprises the formation of seed chips which are thicker than the height of the second substrate including the glass layer of the second substrate and wherein a shim is used to increase the height of the second substrate.

26. The method recited in claim 25 wherein the step of using a shim to increase the height of the second substrate comprises using gold to form the shim material.