30345results about "Single crystal growth details" patented technology

Disclosed is a natural-superlattice homologous single-crystal thin film, which includes a complex oxide which is epitaxially grown on either one of a ZnO epitaxial thin film formed on a single-crystal substrate, the single-crystal substrate after disappearance of the ZnO epitaxial thin film and a ZnO single crystal. The complex oxide is expressed by the formula: M1M2O3 (ZnO)m, wherein M1 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ga, Fe, Sc, In, Lu, Yb, Tm, Er, Ho and Y, M2 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mn, Fe, Ga, In and Al, and m is a natural number of 1 or more. A natural-superlattice homologous single-crystal thin film formed by depositing the complex oxide and subjecting the obtained layered film to a thermal anneal treatment can be used in optimal devices, electronic devices and X-ray optical devices.

A ZnO buffer layer having an electric conductivity of 1×10−9 S / cm or lower or alternatively a ZnO buffer layer having a diffraction peak of a crystal face other than (002) and (004) in X-ray diffraction is formed on a substrate by sputtering. A ZnO semiconductor layer is formed on the ZnO buffer layer. The ZnO semiconductor layer is formed under the condition that the flow rate ratio of an oxygen gas in a sputtering gas is lower than that in the formation of the ZnO buffer layer.

In a process for producing an oriented inorganic crystalline film, a non-monocrystalline film containing inorganic crystalline particles is formed on a substrate by a liquid phase technique using a raw-material solution which contains a raw material and an organic solvent, where the inorganic crystalline particles have a layered crystal structure and are contained in the raw material. Then, the non-monocrystalline film is crystallized by heating the non-monocrystalline film to a temperature equal to or higher than the crystallization temperature of the non-monocrystalline film so that part of the inorganic crystalline particles act as crystal nuclei.

A laminated structure comprises a first layer comprising a crystal with six-fold symmetry, and a second layer comprising a metal oxynitride crystal formed on the first layer, wherein the second layer comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of In, Ga, Si, Ge and Al, N, O and Zn, as main elements, and wherein the second layer has in-plane orientation.

PCT No. PCT / JP98 / 01640 Sec. 371 Date Dec. 9, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Dec. 9, 1998 PCT Filed Apr. 9, 1998 PCT Pub. No. WO98 / 47170 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 22, 1998A method of growing a nitride semiconductor crystal which has very few crystal defects and can be used as a substrate is disclosed. This invention includes the step of forming a first selective growth mask on a support member including a dissimilar substrate having a major surface and made of a material different from a nitride semiconductor, the first selective growth mask having a plurality of first windows for selectively exposing the upper surface of the support member, and the step of growing nitride semiconductor portions from the upper surface, of the support member, which is exposed from the windows, by using a gaseous Group 3 element source and a gaseous nitrogen source, until the nitride semiconductor portions grown in the adjacent windows combine with each other on the upper surface of the selective growth mask.

In a selective growth method, growth interruption is performed at the time of selective growth of a crystal layer on a substrate. Even if the thickness distribution of the crystal layer becomes non-uniform at the time of growth of the crystal layer, the non-uniformity of the thickness distribution of the crystal layer can be corrected by inserting the growth interruption. As a result of growth interruption, an etching rate at a thick portion becomes higher than that at a thin portion, to eliminate the difference in thickness between the thick portion and the thin portion, thereby solving the problem associated with degradation of characteristics due to a variation in thickness of the crystal layer, for example, an active layer. The selective growth method is applied to fabrication of a semiconductor light emitting device including an active layer as a crystal layer formed on a crystal layer having a three-dimensional shape by selective growth.

A bulk-doped semiconductor that is at least one of the following: a single crystal, an elongated and bulk-doped semiconductor that, at any point along its longitudinal axis, has a largest cross-sectional dimension less than 500 nanometers, and a free-standing and bulk-doped semiconductor with at least one portion having a smallest width of less than 500 nanometers. Such a semiconductor may comprise an interior core comprising a first semiconductor; and an exterior shell comprising a different material than the first semiconductor. Such a semiconductor may be elongated and my have, at any point along a longitudinal section of such a semiconductor, a ratio of the length of the section to a longest width is greater than 4:1, or greater than 10:1, or greater than 100:1, or even greater than 1000:1. At least one portion of such a semiconductor may a smallest width of less than 200 nanometers, or less than 150 nanometers, or less than 100 nanometers, or less than 80 nanometers, or less than 70 nanometers, or less than 60 nanometers, or less than 40 nanometers, or less than 20 nanometers, or less than 10 nanometers, or even less than 5 nanometers. Such a semiconductor may be a single crystal and may be free-standing. Such a semiconductor may be either lightly n-doped, heavily n-doped, lightly p-doped or heavily p-doped. Such a semiconductor may be doped during growth. Such a semiconductor may be part of a device, which may include any of a variety of devices and combinations thereof, and, and a variety of assembling techniques may be used to fabricate devices from such a semiconductor. Two or more of such a semiconductors, including an array of such semiconductors, may be combined to form devices, for example, to form a crossed p-n junction of a device. Such devices at certain sizes may exhibit quantum confinement and other quantum phenomena, and the wavelength of light emitted from one or more of such semiconductors may be controlled by selecting a width of such semiconductors. Such semiconductors and device made therefrom may be used for a variety of applications.

In a process for producing an oriented inorganic crystalline film, a non-monocrystalline film containing inorganic crystalline particles is formed on a substrate by a liquid phase technique using a raw-material solution which contains a raw material and an organic solvent, where the inorganic crystalline particles have a layered crystal structure and are contained in the raw material. Then, the non-monocrystalline film is crystallized by heating the non-monocrystalline film to a temperature equal to or higher than the crystallization temperature of the non-monocrystalline film so that part of the inorganic crystalline particles act as crystal nuclei.

Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method for depositing films or layers using a UV source during a photoexcitation process. The films are deposited on a substrate and usually contain a material, such as silicon (e.g., epitaxy, crystalline, microcrystalline, polysilicon, or amorphous), silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or other silicon-containing materials. The photoexcitation process may expose the substrate and / or gases to an energy beam or flux prior to, during, or subsequent a deposition process. Therefore, the photoexcitation process may be used to pre-treat or post-treat the substrate or material, to deposit the silicon-containing material, and to enhance chamber cleaning processes. Attributes of the method that are enhanced by the UV photoexcitation process include removing native oxides prior to deposition, removing volatiles from deposited films, increasing surface energy of the deposited films, increasing the excitation energy of precursors, reducing deposition time, and reducing deposition temperature.

In one implementation, a substrate susceptor for receiving a semiconductor substrate for selective epitaxial silicon-comprising depositing thereon, where the depositing comprises measuring emissivity of the susceptor from at least one susceptor location in a non-contacting manner, includes a body having a front substrate receiving side, a back side, and a peripheral edge. At least one susceptor location from which emissivity is to be measured is received on at least one of the front substrate receiving side, the back side, and the edge. Such at least one susceptor location comprises an outermost surface comprising a material upon which selective epitaxial silicon will not deposit upon during selective epitaxial silicon depositing on a semiconductor substrate received by the susceptor for at least an initial thickness of epitaxial silicon depositing on said substrate. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.

One or more highly-oriented, multi-walled carbon nanotubes are grown on an outer surface of a substrate initially disposed with a catalyst film or catalyst nano-dot by plasma enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition of a carbon source gas and a catalyst gas at temperatures between 300° C. and 3000° C. The carbon nanotubes range from 4 to 500 nm in diameter and 0.1 to 50 μm in length depending on growth conditions. Carbon nanotube density can exceed 104 nanotubes / mm2. Acetylene is used as the carbon source gas, and ammonia is used as the catalyst gas. Plasma intensity, carbon source gas to catalyst gas ratio and their flow rates, catalyst film thickness, and temperature of chemical vapor deposition affect the lengths, diameters, density, and uniformity of the carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes of the present invention are useful in electrochemical applications as well as in electron emission, structural composite, material storage, and microelectrode applications.

The invention provides long-persistent phosphors, methods for their manufacture and phosphorescent articles. The invention also provides a method for generating a long-persistent phosphorescence at a selected color. The phosphors of the invention may be alkaline earth aluminates, alkaline earth silicates, and alkaline earth aluminosilicates. The phosphors include those activated by cerium. The phosphors also include those in which persistent energy transfer occurs from a donor ion to an acceptor ion, producing persistent emission largely characteristic of the acceptor ion.

The present invention generally provides apparatus and method for forming a clean and damage free surface on a semiconductor substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that contains a cleaning chamber that is adapted to expose a surface of substrate to a plasma cleaning process prior to forming an epitaxial layer thereon. In one embodiment, a method is employed to reduce the contamination of a substrate processed in the cleaning chamber by depositing a gettering material on the inner surfaces of the cleaning chamber prior to performing a cleaning process on a substrate. In one embodiment, oxidation and etching steps are repeatedly performed on a substrate in the cleaning chamber to expose or create a clean surface on a substrate that can then have an epitaxial placed thereon. In one embodiment, a low energy plasma is used during the cleaning step.

A process for depositing polycrystalline silicon on substrates, including foreign substrates, occurs in a chamber at about atmospheric pressure, wherein a temperature gradient is formed, and both the atmospheric pressure and the temperature gradient are maintained throughout the process. Formation of a vapor barrier within the chamber that precludes exit of the constituent chemicals, which include silicon, iodine, silicon diiodide, and silicon tetraiodide. The deposition occurs beneath the vapor barrier. One embodiment of the process also includes the use of a blanketing gas that precludes the entrance of oxygen or other impurities. The process is capable of repetition without the need to reset the deposition zone conditions.

A method of manufacturing an inorganic nanotube using a carbon nanotube (CNT) as a template, includes preparing a template on which a CNT or a CNT array is formed, forming an inorganic thin film on the CNT by depositing an inorganic material on the template using atomic layer deposition (ALD), and removing the CNT to obtain an inorganic nanotube or an inorganic nanotube array, respectively.

Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method for depositing films or layers using a UV source during a photoexcitation process. The films are deposited on a substrate and usually contain a material, such as silicon (e.g., epitaxy, crystalline, microcrystalline, polysilicon, or amorphous), silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or other silicon-containing materials. The photoexcitation process may expose the substrate and / or gases to an energy beam or flux prior to, during, or subsequent a deposition process. Therefore, the photoexcitation process may be used to pre-treat or post-treat the substrate or material, to deposit the silicon-containing material, and to enhance chamber cleaning processes. Attributes of the method that are enhanced by the UV photoexcitation process include removing native oxides prior to deposition, removing volatiles from deposited films, increasing surface energy of the deposited films, increasing the excitation energy of precursors, reducing deposition time, and reducing deposition temperature.

Improved apparatus and method for SMFD ALD include a method designed to enhance chemical utilization as well as an apparatus that implements lower conductance out of SMFD-ALD process chamber while maintaining full compatibility with standard wafer transport. Improved SMFD source apparatuses (700, 700′, 700″) and methods from volatile and non-volatile liquid and solid precursors are disclosed, e.g., a method for substantially controlling the vapor pressure of a chemical source (722) within a source space comprising: sensing the accumulation of the chemical on a sensing surface (711); and controlling the temperature of the chemical source depending on said sensed accumulation.

Apparatus and method for forming a polycrystalline silicon thin film by converting an amorphous silicon thin film into the polycrystalline silicon thin film using a metal are provided. The method includes: a metal nucleus adsorbing step of introducing a vapor phase metal compound into a process space where the glass substrate having the amorphous silicon formed thereon is disposed, to adsorb a metal nucleus contained in the metal compound into the amorphous silicon layer; a metal nucleus distribution region-forming step of forming a community region including a plurality of silicon particles every metal nucleus in a plane boundary region occupied by the metal compound by a self-limited mechanism due to the adsorption of the metal nucleus; and an excess gas removing step of purging and removing an excess gas which is not adsorbed in the metal nucleus distribution region-forming step.

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods for forming silicon-germanium-tin alloy epitaxial layers, germanium-tin alloy epitaxial layers, and germanium epitaxial layers that may be doped with boron, phosphorus, arsenic, or other n-type or p-type dopants. The methods generally include positioning a substrate in a processing chamber. A germanium precursor gas is then introduced into the chamber concurrently with a stressor precursor gas, such as a tin precursor gas, to form an epitaxial layer. The flow of the germanium gas is then halted, and an etchant gas is introduced into the chamber. An etch back is then performed while in the presence of the stressor precursor gas used in the formation of the epitaxial film. The flow of the etchant gas is then stopped, and the cycle may then be repeated. In addition to or as an alternative to the etch back process, an annealing processing may be performed.

The present invention is an apparatus for deliverying high purity gallium trichloride in the vapor phase to a gallium nitride reactor, comprising; a source of carrier gas at an elevated pressure; a purifier to remove moisture from the carrier gas; a heater capable of heating the carrier gas to at least 80° C.; a container having a supply of gallium trichloride, a valve controlled inlet for the carrier gas having a dip tube with an outlet below the level of the gallium trichloride, a valve controlled outlet for removing the carrier gas and entrained gallium trichloride; a heater capable of heating sufficient to melt the gallium trichloride; a delivery line connected to the valve controlled outlet for carrying the entrained gallium trichloride to a reaction zone for gallium nitride. A process is also described for the apparatus.

Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method for depositing films or layers using a UV source during a photoexcitation process. The films are deposited on a substrate and usually contain a material, such as silicon (e.g., epitaxy, crystalline, microcrystalline, polysilicon, or amorphous), silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or other silicon-containing materials. The photoexcitation process may expose the substrate and / or gases to an energy beam or flux prior to, during, or subsequent a deposition process. Therefore, the photoexcitation process may be used to pre-treat or post-treat the substrate or material, to deposit the silicon-containing material, and to enhance chamber cleaning processes. Attributes of the method that are enhanced by the UV photoexcitation process include removing native oxides prior to deposition, removing volatiles from deposited films, increasing surface energy of the deposited films, increasing the excitation energy of precursors, reducing deposition time, and reducing deposition temperature.

A III-V nitride homoepitaxial microelectronic device structure comprising a III-V nitride homoepitaxial epi layer on a III-V nitride material substrate, e.g., of freestanding character. Various processing techniques are described, including a method of forming a III-V nitride homoepitaxial layer on a corresponding III-V nitride material substrate, by depositing the III-V nitride homoepitaxial layer by a VPE process using Group III source material and nitrogen source material under process conditions including V / III ratio in a range of from about 1 to about 105, nitrogen source material partial pressure in a range of from about 1 to about 103 torr, growth temperature in a range of from about 500 to about 1250 degrees Celsius, and growth rate in a range of from about 0.1 to about 500 microns per hour. The III-V nitride homoepitaxial microelectronic device structures are usefully employed in device applications such as UV LEDs, high electron mobility transistors, and the like.

A method for growth and fabrication of semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N thin films, heterostructures, and devices, comprising identifying desired material properties for a particular device application, selecting a semipolar growth orientation based on the desired material properties, selecting a suitable substrate for growth of the selected semipolar growth orientation, growing a planar semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N template or nucleation layer on the substrate, and growing the semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N thin films, heterostructures or devices on the planar semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N template or nucleation layer. The method results in a large area of the semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N thin films, heterostructures, and devices being parallel to the substrate surface.

Scanning Laser Epitaxy (SLE) is a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process that allows for the fabrication of three-dimensional objects with specified microstructure through the controlled melting and re-solidification of a metal powders placed atop a base substrate. SLE can be used to repair single crystal (SX) turbine airfoils, for example, as well as the manufacture functionally graded turbine components. The SLE process is capable of creating equiaxed, directionally solidified, and SX structures. Real-time feedback control schemes based upon an offline model can be used both to create specified defect free microstructures and to improve the repeatability of the process. Control schemes can be used based upon temperature data feedback provided at high frame rate by a thermal imaging camera as well as a melt-pool viewing video microscope. A real-time control scheme can deliver the capability of creating engine ready net shape turbine components from raw powder material.

Methods for manufacturing silicon carbide wafers having superior specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR). The resulting SiC wafer has a mirror-like surface that is fit for epitaxial deposition of SiC. The specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR) of the wafer are preserved following the addition of the epitaxy layer.

Process gas discharged from a bypass pipe to a gas exhaust system can be prevented from diffusing back to the inside of a process chamber without having to install a dedicated vacuum pump at the downstream side of the bypass pipe. The substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber accommodating a substrate, a gas supply system supplying process gas from a process gas source to the process chamber for processing the substrate, a gas exhaust system configured to exhaust the process chamber, two or more vacuum pumps installed in series at the gas exhaust system, and a bypass pipe connected between the gas supply system and the gas exhaust system. The most upstream one of the vacuum pumps is a mechanical booster pump, and the bypass pipe is connected between the mechanical booster pump and the rest vacuum pumps located at a downstream side of the mechanical booster pump.

Methods of forming p-type doped germanium-tin layers, systems for forming the p-type doped germanium-tin layers, and structures including the p-type doped germanium-tin layers are disclosed. The p-type doped germanium-tin layers include an n-type dopant, which allows relatively high levels of tin and / or p-type dopant to be included into the p-type doped germanium-tin layers.