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US 12,484,316 B2Granted
CVD boron uniformity overcoming loading effects
AssigneeKLA Corporation
InventorsJehn-Huar Howard Chern, Marcel Trimpl, David L. Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The loading effects of boron layers on silicon within a window may be reduced or eliminated by depositing an adhesion layer on a dielectric layer before depositing the boron layer. The adhesion layer may reduce or eliminate lateral diffusion of boron species into the window by being deposited on the adhesion layer. The approach using the adhesion layer may enable forming the boron layer at the nanometer scale within windows which are at the tens of millimeters scale and below. The boron layer and the silicon layer may form a detector which may be used in scanning electron microscopes and the like.
Claims29
A detector comprising:
- a silicon layer, wherein the silicon layer is monocrystalline silicon and an n-type semiconductor;
- an epitaxial layer, wherein the epitaxial layer is deposited on the silicon layer;
- a dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is deposited on the epitaxial layer;
- an adhesion layer, wherein the adhesion layer is deposited on the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer and the adhesion layer define a window to the epitaxial layer;
- and
- boron layers including an upper boron layer and a lower boron layer, wherein the upper boron layer is deposited on the adhesion layer, wherein the lower boron layer is deposited on the epitaxial layer within the window, wherein the boron layers are p-type semiconductors, wherein the upper boron layer is separated from the lower boron layer by the dielectric layer, wherein the lower boron layer includes a boron concentration of at least 80 percent, wherein the lower boron layer is a pinhole-free film, wherein at least one of an electron or a photon is configured to penetrate the lower boron layer, wherein the lower boron layer, the epitaxial layer, and the silicon layer form a p-n diode by which the detector is configured to detect at least one of the electron or the photon.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- depositing an epitaxial layer on a silicon layer, wherein the silicon layer is monocrystalline silicon and an n-type semiconductor;
- depositing a dielectric layer on the epitaxial layer;
- depositing an adhesion layer on the dielectric layer;
- etching a window through the adhesion layer and the dielectric layer to the epitaxial layer;
- and
- depositing boron layers, the boron layers including an upper boron layer and a lower boron layer, wherein the upper boron layer is deposited on the adhesion layer, wherein the lower boron layer is deposited on the epitaxial layer within the window, wherein the boron layers are p-type semiconductors, wherein the upper boron layer is separated from the lower boron layer by the dielectric layer, wherein the lower boron layer includes a boron concentration of at least 80 percent, wherein the lower boron layer is a pinhole-free film, wherein at least one of an electron or a photon is configured to penetrate the lower boron layer, wherein the lower boron layer, the epitaxial layer, and the silicon layer form a p-n diode.
3 more elements
A scanning electron microscope comprising:
- a detector comprising:
- a silicon layer, wherein the silicon layer is monocrystalline silicon and an n-type semiconductor;
- an epitaxial layer, wherein the epitaxial layer is deposited on the silicon layer;
- a dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is deposited on the epitaxial layer;
- an adhesion layer, wherein the adhesion layer is deposited on the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer and the adhesion layer define a window to the epitaxial layer;
- and
- boron layers including an upper boron layer and a lower boron layer, wherein the upper boron layer is deposited on the adhesion layer, wherein the lower boron layer is deposited on the epitaxial layer within the window, wherein the boron layers are p-type semiconductors, wherein the upper boron layer is separated from the lower boron layer by the dielectric layer, wherein the lower boron layer includes a boron concentration of at least 80 percent, wherein the lower boron layer is a pinhole-free film, wherein at least one of an electron or a photon is configured to penetrate the lower boron layer, wherein the lower boron layer, the epitaxial layer, and the silicon layer form a p-n diode by which the detector is configured to detect at least one of the electron or the photon.
4 more elements
A detector array comprising:
- an array of detectors, wherein the array of detectors comprise:
- a silicon layer, wherein the silicon layer is monocrystalline silicon and an n-type semiconductor;
- an epitaxial layer, wherein the epitaxial layer is deposited on the silicon layer;
- a dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is deposited on the epitaxial layer;
- an adhesion layer, wherein the adhesion layer is deposited on the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer and the adhesion layer define a window to the epitaxial layer;
- and
- boron layers including an upper boron layer and a lower boron layer, wherein the upper boron layer is deposited on the adhesion layer, wherein the lower boron layer is deposited on the silicon layer within the window, wherein the boron layers are p-type semiconductors, wherein the upper boron layer is separated from the lower boron layer by the dielectric layer, wherein the lower boron layer includes a boron concentration of at least 80 percent, wherein the lower boron layer is a pinhole-free film, wherein at least one of an electron or a photon is configured to penetrate the lower boron layer, wherein the lower boron layer, the epitaxial layer, and the silicon layer form a p-n diode by which the detectors are configured to detect at least one of the electron or the photon.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.