Method of preventing autodoping
AssigneeMatrix Semiconductor, Inc.
InventorsScott B. Herner, James M. Cleeves, Johan Knall
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Abstract
A method of making a silicon-based electronic device is provided. The method includes, for example, the steps of forming a doped silicon layer on a surface of a substrate material and forming an undoped silicon capping layer on the doped silicon layer. The thin “capping” layers of undoped silicon prevent outgassing of the dopants underneath the cap. In this manner, the next deposition of doped silicon is not subject to autodoping by the previous doped silicon deposition.
Claims31
A method of making a semiconductor device comprising:
- forming a first in-situ doped silicon layer over a substrate material in a pressure vessel while introducing a precursor gas;
- without removing the substrate material from the pressure vessel, discontinuing introduction of the precursor gas and forming an undoped silicon capping layer on and in contact with the doped silicon layer;
- and
- removing the undoped silicon capping layer.
A method of conditioning a pressure vessel to prevent autodoping, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming a first doped silicon layer in the pressure vessel over a surface of a first wafer while introducing a precursor gas;
- without removing the first wafer from the pressure vessel, discontinuing introduction of the precursor gas and forming an undoped silicon capping layer on and in contact with the first doped silicon layer and on exposed surfaces in the pressure vessel;
- and
- introducing a second wafer into the pressure vessel after formation of the undoped capping layer and forming a second silicon layer over a surface of the second wafer, wherein the thickness of the undoped capping layer is sufficient to reduce autodoping in the second silicon layer to approximately a background level.
A method of making a silicon-based electronic device comprising the steps of:
- forming a first doped silicon layer in a pressure vessel over a surface of a product wafer substrate material while introducing a precursor gas;
- without removing the substrate material from the pressure vessel, discontinuing introduction of the precursor gas and forming an undoped silicon capping layer on and in contact with the first doped silicon layer;
- and
- forming a second doped silicon layer on and in contact with the undoped silicon capping layer, wherein the layers form a portion of a memory device.
A method of making a silicon-based electronic device comprising the steps of:
- forming a first doped silicon layer in a pressure vessel over a surface of a product wafer substrate material while introducing a precursor gas;
- and
- without removing the substrate material from the pressure vessel, discontinuing introduction of the precursor gas and forming an undoped silicon capping layer on and in contact with the first doped silicon layer,
- wherein the layers form a portion of a three dimensional memory array.
A method of making a semiconductor device comprising:
- forming a first in-situ doped silicon layer over a substrate material in a pressure vessel while introducing a precursor gas;
- without removing the substrate material from the pressure vessel, discontinuing introduction of the precursor gas and forming an undoped silicon capping layer on the doped silicon layer;
- and
- consuming or removing the undoped silicon capping layer, wherein the semiconductor device is a memory device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.