Atomic layer deposited titanium-doped indium oxide films

• US 7,582,161 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Ahn, Kie Y., Forbes, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): KUNEMUND, ROBERT M
• Application Number:
  US11/400,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 117/86, 117/90, 117/105, 117/107
• US Class Current: 117/86
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/407 of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45531 specially adapted for making ternary or higher compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/16 Controlling or regulating controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/16 Oxides

Abstract

An apparatus and methods of forming the apparatus include a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide for use in a variety of configurations and systems. The film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide may be structured as one or more monolayers. The film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide may be formed using atomic layer deposition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide using atomic layer deposition such that the indium oxide is formed by atomic layer deposition and the titanium is provided for the indium oxide by atomic layer deposition, wherein forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide using atomic layer deposition includes;

forming a plurality of layers of indium oxide by atomic layer deposition;

forming one or more layers of titanium oxide by atomic layer deposition, the one or more layers of titanium oxide interspersed among the layers of indium oxide; and

annealing the layers of indium oxide and titanium oxide to form transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide.

2. A method comprising:

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide using atomic layer deposition such that the indium oxide is formed by atomic layer deposition and the titanium is provided for the indium oxide by atomic layer deposition, wherein the method includes using a titanium halide precursor and an indium halide precursor in the atomic layer deposition.

3. A method comprising:

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide using atomic layer deposition such that the indium oxide is formed by atomic layer deposition and the titanium is provided for the indium oxide by atomic layer deposition, wherein the method includes forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide in a flat-panel display.

4. A method comprising:

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide using atomic layer deposition such that the indium oxide is formed by atomic layer deposition and the titanium is provided for the indium oxide by atomic layer deposition, wherein the method includes forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide in a photovoltaic cell.

5. A method comprising:

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide using atomic layer deposition such that the indium oxide is formed by atomic layer deposition and the titanium is provided for the indium oxide by atomic layer deposition, wherein the method includes forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide in a smart window.

6. A method comprising:

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide using atomic layer deposition such that the indium oxide is formed by atomic layer deposition and the titanium is provided for the indium oxide by atomic layer deposition, wherein the method includes forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide in a light emitting diode array.

7. A method comprising:

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide using atomic layer deposition such that the indium oxide is formed by atomic layer deposition and the titanium is provided for the indium oxide by atomic layer deposition, wherein the method includes forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide in an optical waveguide.

8. A method comprising:

forming a conductive layer;

forming a first dielectric layer on the conductor layer;

forming a phosphor layer on the first dielectric layer;

forming a second dielectric layer on the phosphor layer; and

forming a transparent conductive oxide layer on the second dielectric layer, the transparent conductive oxide layer containing a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide, wherein forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide includes;

forming a plurality of layers of indium oxide by atomic layer deposition;

forming one or more layers of titanium oxide by atomic layer deposition, the one or more layers of titanium oxide interspersed among the layers of indium oxide; and

annealing the layers of indium oxide and titanium oxide to form transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a conductive layer includes forming a metal layer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes configuring the conductive layer and the transparent conductive oxide layer to couple to a voltage source.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide includes forming the titanium-doped indium oxide with a titanium atomic concentration less than or equal to 7%.

12. A method comprising:

forming a backside conductor;

forming a electronic device on and contacting the backside conductor; and

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide on the electronic device, forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium including;

forming a plurality of layers of indium oxide by atomic layer deposition;

forming one or more layers of titanium oxide by atomic layer deposition, the one or more layers of titanium oxide interspersed among the layers of indium oxide; and

annealing the layers of indium oxide and titanium oxide to form transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein forming a conductive layer includes forming a metal layer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein forming an electronic device includes forming a photovoltaic cell.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein forming a photovoltaic cell includes forming a layer of CdS and forming a layer of CdTe.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein forming an electronic device includes forming a semiconductor-based light emitting device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein forming a semiconductor-based light emitting device includes forming an array of light emitting diodes.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes forming a layer of transparent material on the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming a layer of transparent material includes forming a layer of glass.

20. A method comprising:

providing a layer of glass; and

forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide on the layer of glass, forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium including;

forming a plurality of layers of indium oxide by atomic layer deposition;

forming one or more layers of titanium oxide by atomic layer deposition, the one or more layers of titanium oxide interspersed among the layers of indium oxide; and

annealing the layers of indium oxide and titanium oxide to form transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide including structuring the transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide to provide a smart window having a low emissivity layer.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the method includes configuring the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide as a resistive element coupled to a controllable electrical source.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein forming a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide includes forming the titanium-doped indium oxide with an atomic concentration of titanium ranging from 1% to 3%.

24. A method comprising:

forming a first layer;

forming an optical layer on the first layer; and

forming a second layer on the optical layer, the second layer or the first layer containing a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide layer, the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide layer formed using atomic layer deposition.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein forming the film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide layer using atomic layer deposition includes:

forming a plurality of layers of indium oxide by atomic layer deposition;

forming one or more layers of titanium oxide by atomic layer deposition, the one or more layers of titanium oxide interspersed among the layers of indium oxide; and

annealing the layers of indium oxide and titanium oxide to form transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein forming the optical layer includes forming the optical layer having an index of refraction greater than the index of refraction of the first layer and greater than the index of refraction of the second layer.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein forming the optical layer includes forming a layer of electrooptic material.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein forming the first layer and the second layer as layers of transparent conductive oxides configured with the optic layer as an electrooptic modulator.