Method of forming semiconducting materials and barriers using a dual enclosure apparatus

• US 5,187,115 A
• Filed: 03/11/1991
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1977
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plasma Physics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Plasma Physics Corporation
• Inventors: Coleman, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hearn, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVERHART, BYRON S
• Application Number:
  US07/639,197
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 437/113, 437/225, 437/228, 437/101, 437/173, 437/914, 427/39, 148/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 438/485
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/503 using dc or ac discharges
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32541 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32623 Mechanical discharge control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/074 comprising a heterojunction with an element of Group IV of the Periodic Table, e.g. ITO/Si, GaAs/Si or CdTe/Si solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/075 the potential barriers being only of the PIN type, e.g. amorphous silicon PIN solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/20 such devices or parts thereof comprising amorphous semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/202 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/907 Continuous processing

Abstract

In a gaseous glow-discharge process for coating a substrate with semiconductor material, a variable electric field in the region of the substrate and the pressure of the gaseous material are controlled to produce a uniform coating having useful semiconducting properties. Electrodes having concave and cylindrical configurations are used to produce a spacially varying electric field. Twin electrodes are used to enable the use of an AC power supply and collect a substantial part of the coating on the substrate. Solid semiconductor material is evaporated and sputtered into the glow discharge to control the discharge and improve the coating. Schottky barrier and solar cell structures are fabricated from the semiconductor coating. Activated nitrogen species is used to increase the barrier height of Schottky barriers.

Claims

1. The method of producing a semiconductor junction comprising amorphous silicon on the surface of a substrate in an evacuated enclosure comprising a first enclosure and a second enclosure, a first means for introducing a first gaseous material comprising a dopant into said first enclosure, a second means for introducing a second gaseous material comprising silicon and hydrogen into said second enclosure, a means for restricting the flow of said dopant from said first enclosure into said second enclosure, and a means for transporting said substrate from said first enclosure through said flow-restricting means to said second enclosure, a first electrode means for applying a first electric field to said substrate in said first enclosure and a second electrode means for applying a second electric field to said substrate in said second enclosure, which includes the steps of:

introducing said first and second gaseous materials at subatmospheric pressures in said first and second enclosures,

applying said first electric field by said first electrode means to said substrate in said first enclosures to deposit a doped film, transporting by said transport means said substrate through said flow restricting means into said second enclosure,

applying said second electric field by said second electrode means to said substrate in said second enclosure while

controlling the pressure of said first gaseous material comprising a dopant in said first enclosure and said second gaseous material comprising silicon and hydrogen in said second gaseous enclosure and restricting the flow by said flow-restricting means of said first and second gaseous materials between said first and second enclosures to deposit a film comprising amorphous silicon in said second enclosure substantially free of said dopant from said gaseous material comprising a dopant in said first enclosure.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of moving said substrate relative to said second electric field in said second enclosure.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the semiconductor property of said film comprising amorphous silicon is enhanced.

6. The method of claim 1 in which said dopant comprises phosphorus.

7. The method of claim 1 in which said dopant comprises boron.

2. The method of producing a semiconductor junction comprising amorphous silicon on the surface of a substrate in an evacuated enclosure comprising a first enclosure and a second enclosure, a first means for introducing a first gaseous material comprising silicon and a dopant into said first enclosure, a second means for introducing a second gaseous material comprising silicon and hydrogen into said second enclosure, a means for restricting the flow of said dopant from said first enclosure into said second enclosure, and a means for transporting said substrate from said first enclosure through said flow-restricting means to said second enclosure, a first electrode means for applying a first electric field to said substrate in said first enclosure and a second electrode means for applying a second electric field to said substrate in said second enclosure, which includes the steps of:

introducing said first gaseous material comprising a dopant and said second gaseous materials comprising silicon and hydrogen at subatmospheric pressures in said first and second enclosures,

applying said first electric field by said first electrode means to said substrate in said first enclosures to deposit a doped film on said substrate,

transporting by said transport means said substrate through said flow restricting means to said second enclosure,

applying said second electric field to said substrate to deposit by glow discharge a film comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon onto said doped film while controlling the pressure and restricting the flow by said flow-restricting means of said first and second gaseous materials in said first and second enclosures to deposit a film comprising amorphous silicon with a controlled amount of dopant in said second enclosure.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of moving said substrate relative to said second electric field in said second enclosure.

8. The method of claim 2 in which said dopant comprises phosphorus.

9. The method of claim 2 in which said dopant comprises boron.