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US 10,854,714 B2Granted
Germanium containing nanowires and methods for forming the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsMartin Christopher Holland, Blandine Duriez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided herein are tapered nanowires that comprise germanium and gallium, as well as methods of forming the same. The described nanowires may also include one or more sections of a second semiconductor material. Methods of the disclosure may include vapor-liquid-solid epitaxy with a gallium catalyst. The described methods may also include depositing a gallium seed on a surface of a substrate by charging an area of the substrate using an electron beam, and directing a gallium ion beam across the surface of the substrate.
Claims11
A method, comprising:
- forming a dielectric layer on a substrate;
- forming an opening in the dielectric layer formed on the substrate to expose a portion of the substrate;
- forming a gallium seed on the exposed portion of the substrate within the formed opening;
- and
- forming a nanowire using the gallium seed, the nanowire extending within the formed opening and through the dielectric layer, the nanowire comprising a straight section comprising germanium and gallium, the straight section having a first diameter at a first location and a second diameter at a second location that is farther from the substrate than the first location, the first diameter being larger than the second diameter;
- wherein the nanowire is formed by exposing the gallium seed to a vapor comprising germanium;
- wherein the vapor is Ge2H6;
- and
- wherein the gallium seed is exposed to the vapor at a temperature ranging from about 330° C. to about 500° C.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a dielectric layer on a substrate;
- forming an opening in the dielectric layer formed on the substrate to expose a portion of the substrate;
- depositing a gallium seed on the exposed portion of the substrate through the opening in the dielectric layer, the depositing comprising:
- charging a location on a surface of the substrate exposed by the opening in the dielectric layer;
- and
- directing a gallium ion beam over the location in a direction that is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate;
- forming a nanowire extending through the dielectric layer and extending within the opening by exposing the gallium seed to a vapor comprising germanium, the nanowire being substantially straight and comprising germanium and gallium;
- wherein the vapor is Ge2H6;
- and
- wherein the gallium seed is exposed to the vapor at a temperature ranging from about 330° C. to about 500° C.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a dielectric layer on a substrate;
- forming a plurality of recesses in the dielectric layer formed on the substrate to expose a portion of the substrate;
- after formation of the plurality of recesses and exposing a portion of the substrate, forming a plurality of gallium seeds on the exposed portion of the substrate in respective recesses of the plurality of recesses;
- and
- forming a plurality of nanowires by exposing the plurality of gallium seeds to a vapor comprising germanium, each nanowire of the plurality of nanowires comprising germanium and gallium and extending through the dielectric layer and extending within the respective recesses;
- wherein the plurality of gallium seeds is formed by:
- charging the exposed portion of the substrate;
- and
- directing a gallium ion beam over the charged exposed portion of the substrate in a direction that is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate;
- wherein the charging the plurality of locations comprises using an electron beam;
- wherein the vapor is Ge2H6;
- and
- wherein the plurality of gallium seeds is exposed to the vapor at a temperature ranging from about 330° C. to about 500° C.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.