Abstract:
High quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline oxide materials (24) are grown overlying monocrystalline substrates such as large silicon wafers (22) using RHEED information to monitor the growth rate of the growing film. The monocrystalline oxide layer (24) may be used to form a compliant substrate for monocrystalline growth of additional layers. One way to achieve the formation of a compliant substrate includes first growing an accommodating buffer layer (24) on a silicon wafer (22) spaced apart from the silicon wafer (22) by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide (28). The amorphous interface layer (28) dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer (24).
Abstract:
Multijunction solar cell structures (100) including high quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline semiconductor materials that are grown overlying monocrystalline substrates (102) such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers are disclosed. One way to achieve the formation of a compliant substrate includes first growing an accommodating buffer layer (104) on a silicon wafer. The accommodating buffer (104) layer is a layer of monocrystalline material spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer (112) of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer (112) dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. Multiple and varied accommodating buffer layers can be used to achieve the monolithic integration of multiple non-lattice matched solar cell junctions (302, 304).
Abstract:
High quality epitaxial layers of compound semiconductor materials can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing an accommodating buffer layer on a silicon wafer. The accommodating buffer layer is a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer. Radiation systems, including radiation sources such as light emitting diode or lasers and wave guides may be formed in the high quality epitaxial compound semiconductor material and above the oxide layers.
Abstract:
A method of removing an amorphous oxide (24) from a surface of a monocrystalline substrate (22) is provided. The method includes depositing a passivation material (26) overlying the amorphous oxide. The monocrystalline substrate is then heated so that the amorphous oxide layer decomposes into at least one volatile species that is liberated from the surface.
Abstract:
A method of forming single crystalline oxides on the surface of a semiconductor substrate includes placing the semiconductor substrate (10) in a vacuum chamber and depositing a thin layer of material (12) including a II metal on the surface (11). At a minimum the layer is thick enough to passivate the surface. An alternative oxidation agent is introduced into the chamber at a partial vapor pressure and at a temperature so as to form a layer (14) of single crystal oxide from the thin layer of material with the layer of single crystal oxide lattice matched to the semiconductor substrate. The surface is monitored by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) during the oxide growth. In a preferred embodiment single crystal BaO or (Ba,Sr)O is grown on and lattice matched to a silicon substrate.
Abstract:
Magnetoresistive materials can be grown overlying a semiconductor substrate (22) by first growing an accommodating buffer layer (24) on a silicon wafer. The accommodating buffer layer is a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer (28) of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer.
Abstract:
High quality epitaxial layers of compound semiconductor materials can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing an accommodating buffer layer (24) on a silicon wafer (22). The accommodating buffer layer is a layer of monocrystalline oxide preferably a perorskite oxide, spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer (28) of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer (24). The accommodating buffer layer (24) preferably is lattice matchedto both the underlying silicon wafer (22) and the overlying monocrystalline compound semiconductor layer (26). Any lattice mismatch between the accomodating buffer layer and the underlying substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer. Additionalsemiconductor buffer (32) and template layers (28, 30) can be found on or below the oxide buffer layer (24).
Abstract:
A high quality epitaxial layer (110) of monocrystalline Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 can be grown overlying large silicon wafers by first growing a barium strontium titanate layer (104) on a silicon wafer. The barium strontium titanate layer (104) is a monocrystalline layer spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer (116) of silicon oxide. Monocrystalline conductive layers (106, 108) of La, Sr) Co03 are formed adjacent the Pb(Zr, Tr)03 layer.
Abstract:
A structure and method for forming a high dielectric constant device structure includes a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate (101) and an insulating layer (103) formed of an epitaxially grown oxide such as (A)y(TixM1-x)1-yO3, wherein A is an alkaline earth metal or a combination of alkaline earth metals and M is a metallic or semi-metallic element. Semiconductor devices formed in accordance with the present invention exhibit low leakage current density.
Abstract:
High quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline materials (26) can be grown overlying monocrystalline substrates (22) such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers. An accommodating buffer layer (24) comprises a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from a silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer (28) of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline material layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer. The surface of the underlying silicon wafer is prepared by the controlled growth and subsequent reduction of a surface oxide, and then by properly reconstructing the silicon surface by the deposition of a thin layer of an alkaline earth metal. Monocrystalline growth of the accommodating buffer layer is enhanced by an interrupted growth procedure.