Semiconductor layer, oscillation element, and semiconductor layer manufacturing method

• US 10,930,522 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2018
• Issued: 02/23/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UACJ Corporation
• Original Assignee: UACJ Corporation
• Inventors: Ashizawa, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Reema
• Application Number:
  US16/620,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20200135494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02565 Oxide semiconducting materials not being Group 12/16 materials, e.g. ternary compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02576 N-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02579 P-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02592 amorphous
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02612 Formation types
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02664 Aftertreatments planarisation in general H01L21/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/477 Thermal treatment for modifying the properties of semiconductor bodies, e.g. annealing, sintering H01L21/38 - H01L21/449 and H01L21/461 - H01L21/475 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/479 Application of electric currents or fields, e.g. for electroforming H01L21/38 - H01L21/449 and H01L21/461 - H01L21/475 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/24 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only semiconductor materials not provided for in groups H01L29/16, H01L29/18, H01L29/20, H01L29/22 including organic materials H10K99/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/242 AIBVI or AIBVII compounds, e.g. Cu2O, Cu I H01L29/247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/247 Amorphous materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66969 of devices having semiconductor bodies not comprising group 14 or group 13/15 materials comprising selenium or tellurium in uncombined form other than as impurities in semiconductor bodies of other materials, comprising cuprous oxide or cuprous iodide H01L21/02365
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/861 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/8611 Planar PN junction diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/88 Tunnel-effect diodes

Abstract

A semiconductor layer of the present invention is a semiconductor layer including: a pn junction at which an n-type semiconductor (Al₂O₃ (n-type)) and a p-type semiconductor (Al₂O₃ (p-type)) are joined, the n-type semiconductor (Al₂O₃ (n-type)) having a donor level that is formed by causing an aluminum oxide film (Al₂O₃) to excessively contain aluminum (Al), the p-type semiconductor (Al₂O₃ (p-type)) having an acceptor level that is formed by causing an aluminum oxide film (Al₂O₃) to excessively contain oxygen (O).

Claims

1. A semiconductor layer comprising:

a pn junction at which an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer are joined, the n-type semiconductor layer having a donor level that is formed by causing an aluminum oxide film to excessively contain aluminum, the p-type semiconductor layer having an acceptor level that is formed by causing an aluminum oxide film to excessively contain oxygen.

2. A semiconductor layer comprising a p-type semiconductor layer having an acceptor level that is formed by causing an aluminum oxide film to excessively contain oxygen.

3. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor layer, comprising the steps of:

bringing metallic aluminum and a probe into contact with a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of an aluminum oxide film so as to melt the aluminum oxide film in atmosphere, oxygen-containing gas, or oxygen gas by applying, between the metallic aluminum serving as an anode and the probe serving as a cathode, a voltage at which a dielectric breakdown occurs in the aluminum oxide film; and

by causing, in the aluminum oxide film which is being melted, a molten salt electrolysis reaction so as to cool the aluminum oxide film, forming an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer on the metallic aluminum side and the probe side, respectively, of the aluminum oxide film, and joining the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the molten salt electrolysis reaction is caused in the aluminum oxide film by making a donor concentration of the n-type semiconductor layer and an acceptor concentration of the p-type semiconductor layer controllable by adjusting coulomb amount that causes the molten salt electrolysis reaction.

5. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the molten salt electrolysis reaction is caused in the aluminum oxide film by moving the probe while bringing the probe into contact with the aluminum oxide film.

6. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the probe which is being brought into contact with the aluminum oxide film is moved by (1) continuously changing the applied voltage, (2) discontinuously changing the applied voltage, (3) unidirectionally or bidirectionally changing a polarity of the applied voltage, or changing the applied voltage by combining (1) through (3).

7. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor layer, comprising the steps of:

bringing metallic aluminum and a probe into contact with a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of an aluminum oxide film so as to melt the aluminum oxide film in atmosphere, gas, or a vacuum by applying, between the metallic aluminum serving as a cathode and the probe serving as an anode, a voltage at which a dielectric breakdown occurs in the aluminum oxide film; and

by causing, in the aluminum oxide film which is being melted, a molten salt electrolysis reaction so as to cool the aluminum oxide film, forming a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer on the metallic aluminum side and the probe side, respectively, of the aluminum oxide film, and joining the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer.

8. An oscillation element comprising:

a pn junction at which an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer are joined, the n-type semiconductor layer having a donor level that is formed by causing an aluminum oxide film to excessively contain aluminum, the p-type semiconductor layer having an acceptor level that is formed by causing an aluminum oxide film to excessively contain oxygen.

9. A method for manufacturing an oscillation element, comprising the steps of:

bringing metallic aluminum and a probe into contact with a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of an aluminum oxide film so as to melt the aluminum oxide film in atmosphere, oxygen-containing gas, or oxygen gas by applying, between the metallic aluminum serving as an anode and the probe serving as a cathode, a voltage at which a dielectric breakdown occurs in the aluminum oxide film; and

by causing, in the aluminum oxide film which is being melted, a molten salt electrolysis reaction so as to cool the aluminum oxide film, forming an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer on the metallic aluminum side and the probe side, respectively, of the aluminum oxide film, and joining the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer,

a depletion layer, formed by joining the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer, having a thickness of not more than 1 nm.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the molten salt electrolysis reaction is caused in the aluminum oxide film by moving the probe while bringing the probe into contact with the aluminum oxide film.

11. A method for manufacturing an oscillation element, comprising the steps of:

bringing metallic aluminum and a probe into contact with a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of an aluminum oxide film so as to melt the aluminum oxide film in atmosphere, gas, or a vacuum by applying, between the metallic aluminum serving as a cathode and the probe serving as an anode, a voltage at which a dielectric breakdown occurs in the aluminum oxide film; and

by causing, in the aluminum oxide film which is being melted, a molten salt electrolysis reaction so as to cool the aluminum oxide film, forming a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer on the metallic aluminum side and the probe side, respectively, of the aluminum oxide film, and joining the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer,

a depletion layer, formed by joining the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer, having a thickness of not more than 1 nm.

12. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor layer, comprising the steps of:

bringing metallic aluminum and a probe into contact with a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of an aluminum oxide film so as to melt the aluminum oxide film in atmosphere, oxygen-containing gas, or oxygen gas by applying, between the metallic aluminum serving as an anode and the probe serving as a cathode, a voltage at which a dielectric breakdown occurs in the aluminum oxide film; and

by causing, in the aluminum oxide film which is being melted, a molten salt electrolysis reaction so as to cool the aluminum oxide film, (1) forming an n-type semiconductor layer on the metallic aluminum side of the aluminum oxide film or (2) forming a p-type semiconductor layer on the probe side of the aluminum oxide film.

13. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor layer, comprising the steps of:

bringing metallic aluminum and a probe into contact with a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of an aluminum oxide film so as to melt the aluminum oxide film in atmosphere, gas, or a vacuum by applying, between the metallic aluminum serving as a cathode and the probe serving as an anode, a voltage at which a dielectric breakdown occurs in the aluminum oxide film; and

by causing, in the aluminum oxide film which is being melted, a molten salt electrolysis reaction so as to cool the aluminum oxide film, (1) forming an n-type semiconductor layer on the metallic aluminum side of the aluminum oxide film or (2) forming a p-type semiconductor layer on the probe side of the aluminum oxide film.