Wafer-Scale Graphene Intercalation Doping Under Low Thermal Budget
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for doping atomically-thin two-dimensional materials like graphene and layered semiconductors are inefficient and costly, particularly in the context of CMOS technology, due to contamination and geometric challenges, and require a novel apparatus that can apply uniform temperature and pressure over large substrates within a low thermal budget.
Innovation Solution
A reactor apparatus that applies pressure (2 bar to 500 bar) and temperature (25° C. to 500° C.) to substrates up to 450 mm in diameter, using gaseous, liquid, or solid dopants to facilitate intercalation doping, ensuring chemical purity and uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional doping methods are used for 2D materials, then doping can be achieved, but the process is inefficient and costly due to contamination and geometric challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies high pressure (up to 500 bar) and controlled temperature conditions to enable intercalation doping of 2D materials. This parameter change transforms the doping process from an inefficient conventional method to a high-productivity process that achieves uniform dopant distribution without contamination, directly resolving the contradiction between doping efficiency and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary dopant delivery system where dopant atoms or molecules are transported through a pressurized carrier gas or liquid medium to the 2D material surface. This intermediary approach enables controlled, contamination-free doping that is both efficient and cost-effective for large-area substrates
2Manufacturing precision
If high pressure and temperature are applied for intercalation doping, then uniform doping is achieved, but the thermal budget may exceed BEOL compatibility limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the pressure-temperature parameters to achieve effective intercalation doping at temperatures below 400°C. By adjusting the pressure parameter (up to 500 bar) and controlling the temperature parameter, the process achieves uniform doping while maintaining BEOL compatibility, resolving the contradiction between doping uniformity and thermal budget constraints
3Area of stationary object
If doping is performed on large-area substrates, then production capacity increases, but maintaining doping uniformity becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pressurized intermediary medium (gas or liquid) that uniformly distributes dopant atoms across large-area substrates. This intermediary approach ensures consistent dopant flux and concentration across the entire substrate surface, achieving uniform doping even on large-area wafers and directly resolving the contradiction between substrate area and doping uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical doping methods with a pressure-driven intercalation process. By using high pressure to drive dopant diffusion into the 2D material lattice, the process achieves uniform doping across large areas without the geometric limitations and non-uniformity associated with mechanical approaches
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient, low-temperature doping of large-area substrates, minimizing contamination and ensuring uniformity, suitable for high-volume manufacturing of BEOL applications.
Implementation Method 1
intercalation doping involves insertion of the dopant atoms/molecules through the sidewall faces of these materials via diffusion
Implementation Method 2
Sometimes the dopant may require a thermal anneal to move the dopant, for example, Arsenic (As) atoms in monocrystalline Silicon using applied thermal energy to move the As atoms from interstitial to substitutional crystal positions
Implementation Method 3
pressure is applied to at least one surface of said single or multiple wafers or substrates within a range of 2 bar to 500 bar
Implementation Method 4
temperature is applied to said single or multiple wafers or substrates within a range of 25°C to 500°C
Data Source
AI summary
An intercalation doping apparatus including: a reactor chamber where single or multiple wafers or substrates (SoMWoSubs) are disposed within the reactor chamber, where SOMWoSubs have a diameter or a side distance from 25 mm to 450 mm; a heater, where the heater is configured to provide heat to the SOMWoSubs disposed within the reactor chamber, where the SoMWoSubs include a temperature from 25° C. to 500° C.; where pressure is applied to at least one surface of the SOMWoSubs disposed within the reactor chamber within a range of 2 bar to 500 bar; and a dopant application apparatus, where the dopant application apparatus includes at least valves and tubing which bring dopants from outside to within the reactor chamber and includes at least a dopant crucible disposed within the reactor chamber, where the dopants include material in solid, liquid, or gaseous phase, and where the dopants include intercalation doping agents.