Methods of forming doped and un-doped strained semiconductor materials and semiconductor films by gas-cluster-ion-beam irradiation and materials and film products
First Claim
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1. A method for forming one or more strained regions in a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:
- maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a semiconductor substrate having a surface;
holding the semiconductor substrate securely within said reduced-pressure environment;
providing to said reduced-pressure environment a gas-cluster ion beam from a pressurized gas mixture including at least one strain-inducing atom species;
accelerating the gas-cluster ion beam;
irradiating the accelerated gas-cluster ion beam onto one or more portion(s) of the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and
annealing at least the irradiated portion(s) to form one or more substantially crystalline strained semiconductor regions within the substrate.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are described for irradiating one or more substrate surfaces with accelerated gas clusters including strain-inducing atoms for blanket and/or localized introduction of such atoms into semiconductor substrates, with additional, optional introduction of dopant atoms and/or C. Processes for forming semiconductor films infused into and/or deposited onto the surfaces of semiconductor and/or dielectric substrates are also described. Such films may be doped and/or strained as well.
136 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for forming one or more strained regions in a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a semiconductor substrate having a surface; holding the semiconductor substrate securely within said reduced-pressure environment; providing to said reduced-pressure environment a gas-cluster ion beam from a pressurized gas mixture including at least one strain-inducing atom species; accelerating the gas-cluster ion beam; irradiating the accelerated gas-cluster ion beam onto one or more portion(s) of the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and annealing at least the irradiated portion(s) to form one or more substantially crystalline strained semiconductor regions within the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film at a surface of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a substrate having a surface; holding the substrate securely within said reduced-pressure environment; providing to said reduced-pressure environment a gas-cluster ion beam from a pressurized gas mixture including at least one atom species selected from the group of elements consisting of Si and Ge; accelerating the gas-cluster ion beam; and irradiating the accelerated gas-cluster ion beam onto at least a portion of the surface of the substrate to form a semiconductor thin film. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for forming one or more strained regions in a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:
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providing a mask on the surface of the semiconductor substrate; maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a semiconductor substrate having a surface; holding the semiconductor substrate securely within said reduced pressure environment; providing to said reduced-pressure environment a gas cluster ion beam from a pressurized gas mixture including at least one strain-inducing atom species; accelerating the gas-cluster ion beam; and irradiating the accelerated gas-cluster ion beam into one or more portions of the surface of the semiconductor substrate to form one or more strained semiconductor regions within the substrate, at least one of the one or more strained semiconductor regions inducing strain in one or more adjacent un-irradiated regions of the semiconductor substrate.
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39. A method for forming one or more strained semiconductor regions in a semiconductor thin film at a surface of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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forming the semiconductor thin film at the surface of the substrate by irradiating the surface of the substrate with a gas-cluster ion beam; and forming the one or more strained semiconductor regions in the semiconductor thin film by irradiating the formed semiconductor thin film with a gas-cluster ion beam.
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40. A method of forming one or more strained semiconductor regions in a semiconductor thin film at a surface of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a substrate having a surface; holding the substrate securely within said reduced-pressure environment; providing to said reduced-pressure environment a gas-cluster ion beam from a pressurized gas mixture including at least one semiconductor atom species; accelerating the gas-cluster ion beam; irradiating the accelerated gas-cluster ion beam into at least a portion of the surface of the substrate to form a semiconductor thin film; providing within said reduced-pressure environment a gas-cluster ion beam from a pressurized gas mixture including at least one strain-inducing atom species; accelerating the last said gas-cluster ion beam; irradiating the accelerated gas-cluster ion beam into one or more portions of the semiconductor thin film to strain the film; and annealing at least the irradiated portions of the semiconductor thin film.
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Specification