US 2006/0233969 A1Published application

Hybrid beam deposition system and methods for fabricating metal oxide-zno films, p-type zno films, and zno-based II-VI compound semiconductor devices

AssigneeMoxtronics, Inc.

InventorsHenry White, Yungryel Ryu, Tae-seok Lee

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Abstract

A hybrid beam deposition (HBD) system and methods according to the present invention utilizes a unique combination of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique and equipment with equipment and techniques that provide a radical oxygen rf-plasma stream to effectively increase the flux density of available reactive oxygen at a deposition substrate for the effective synthesis of metal oxide thin films. The HBD system and methods of the present invention further integrate molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and/or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques and equipment in combination with the PLD equipment and technique and the radical oxygen rf-plasma stream to provide elemental source materials for the synthesis of undoped and/or doped metal oxide thin films as well as synthesis of undoped and/or doped metal-based oxide alloy thin films.

Claims117

Dependent claims

A hybrid beam deposition system for synthesizing metal oxide films, doped metal oxide films, metal-based oxide alloy films, and doped metal-based oxide alloy films under predetermined synthesis conditions, comprising:

(a) a deposition chamber configured and operative to function as a containment chamber for synthesis of the metal oxide films, doped metal oxide films, metal-based oxide alloy films, and doped metal-based oxide alloy films under the predetermined synthesis conditions;
(b) a target assembly for mounting a metal oxide target material within the deposition chamber;
(c) an rf reactive gas source for introducing an rf oxygen plasma stream into the deposition chamber within a predetermined dynamical pressure range;
(d) a metal oxide plasma generating subsystem configured and operative to interact with the metal oxide target material to generate a high-energy directional metal oxide plasma plume within the deposition chamber;
(e) a source material subsystem configured and operative, as required, to generate and introduce one or more directed streams of elemental source materials into the deposition chamber for the synthesis of doped metal oxide films, metal-based oxide alloy films, and doped metal-based oxide alloy films;
and
(f) a substrate assembly configured and operative to position a substrate having a synthesis surface within the deposition chamber in such manner that the rf oxygen plasma stream, the high-energy directional metal oxide plasma plume, and the one or more directed streams of elemental source materials optimally are directed in selected combination or sequences at the synthesis surface of the substrate for the synthesis of metal oxide films, doped metal oxide films, metal-based oxide alloy films, and doped metal-based oxide alloy films on the substrate within the deposition chamber under the predetermined synthesis conditions.

4 more elements

A hybrid beam deposition method for synthesizing metal oxide films and metal-based oxide alloy films, comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a substrate having a synthesis surface for film synthesis;
(b) treating the substrate by directing a first rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesis surface of the substrate under predetermined treatment conditions that include a predetermined dynamical pressure for the rf oxygen plasma stream;
(c) stabilizing the substrate at a predetermined synthesis temperature;
(d) implementing film synthesis on the synthesis surface of the substrate by activating and operating a metal oxide plasma generating subsystem that is configured and operative to interact with a metal oxide target material to generate and direct a high-energy metal oxide plasma plume at the synthesis surface of the substrate under predetermined synthesis conditions;
(e) terminating film synthesis once a predetermined synthesis parameter has been achieved by deactivating the metal oxide plasma generating subsystem;
(f) treating the film synthesized on the substrate by directing a second rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesized film for a predetermined treatment period at a predetermined dynamical pressure;
(g) decreasing, upon elapse of the predetermined treatment period, the substrate temperature at a predetermined rate of change to stabilize the substrate at room temperature;
and
(h) terminating the second rf oxygen plasma stream once the temperature of the substrate has been stabilized at room temperature;
wherein the film synthesized on the substrate and the substrate in combination define a semiconducting composite structure characterized by the film synthesized on the substrate.

7 more elements

A hybrid beam deposition method for synthesizing doped metal oxide and metal-based oxide alloy films, comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a substrate having a synthesis surface for film synthesis;
(b) treating the substrate by directing a first rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesis surface of the substrate under predetermined treatment conditions that include a predetermined dynamical pressure for the rf oxygen plasma stream;
(c) stabilizing the substrate at a predetermined synthesis temperature;
(d) further treating the substrate by directing the rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesis surface of the substrate at a predetermined dynamical pressure for a predetermined period of time;
(e) implementing film synthesis on the synthesis surface of the substrate by:
(e1) activating and operating a metal oxide plasma generating subsystem that is configured and operative to interact with a metal oxide target material to generate and direct a high-energy metal, oxide plasma plume at the synthesis surface of the substrate under predetermined synthesis conditions;
and
(e2) operating a source material subsystem at a synthesis temperature within a predetermined range to generate and direct a directed stream of elemental dopant material at the synthesis surface of the substrate;
such that a doped film is synthesized on the substrate;
(f) terminating doped film synthesis once a predetermined synthesis parameter has been achieved;
(g) treating the doped film synthesized on the substrate by directing a second rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesized doped film for a predetermined treatment period at a predetermined dynamical pressure;
(h) decreasing, upon lapse of the predetermined treatment period, the substrate temperature at a predetermined rate of change to stabilize the substrate at room temperature;
and
(i) terminating the second rf oxygen plasma stream in the deposition chamber once the substrate has been stabilized at room temperature;
wherein the doped film synthesized on the substrate and the substrate in combination define a semiconducting composite structure characterized by the doped film synthesized on the substrate.

12 more elements

A hybrid beam deposition method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a substrate layer having a synthesis surface for synthesis of the semiconductor device;
(b) treating the substrate layer by directing a first rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesis surface of the substrate layer under predetermined treatment conditions that include a predetermined dynamical pressure for the rf oxygen plasma stream;
(c) stabilizing the substrate layer at a predetermined synthesis temperature;
(d) further treating the substrate layer by directing the rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesis surface of the substrate layer at a predetermined dynamical pressure for a predetermined period of time;
(e) implementing synthesis of one or more metal oxide film layers on the substrate layer to form a semiconducting composite structure by:
(e1) activating and operating a metal oxide plasma generating subsystem that is configured and operative to interact with a metal oxide target material to generate and direct a high-energy metal, oxide plasma plume at the synthesis surface of the substrate layer under predetermined synthesis conditions,
(e2) operating, as required, a source material subsystem using one or more compatible alloy materials at a synthesis temperature within a predetermined range to generate and direct one or more directed stream of elemental alloy materials at the synthesis surface of the substrate layer, and
(e3) operating, as required, the source material subsystem at a synthesis temperature within a predetermined range to generate and direct a directed stream of dopant source material at the synthesis surface of the substrate layer;
(f) terminating metal oxide film layer synthesis of the semiconducting composite structure once a predetermined synthesis parameter has been achieved by deactivating the metal oxide plasma generating subsystem and, if operating, the source material subsystem;
(g) treating, as required, the synthesized metal oxide film layer of the semiconducting composite structure by directing a second rf oxygen plasma stream thereat for a predetermined treatment period at a predetermined dynamical pressure;
(h) changing, upon lapse of the predetermined treatment period, the substrate layer temperature of the semiconducting composite structure at a predetermined rate to stabilize the substrate layer at a predetermined temperature for synthesis of an additional metal oxide film layer, if required;
(i) re-executing steps (e), (f), (g), and (h), as required, to synthesize one or more additional metal oxide film layers for the semiconducting composite structure;
(j) decreasing, after formation of the semiconducting composite structure, the substrate layer temperature of the semiconducting composite structure at a predetermined rate of change to stabilize the substrate layer at room temperature;
(i) terminating the second rf oxygen plasma stream directed at the semiconducting composite structure once the substrate layer has been stabilized at room temperature;
and
adhering ohmic contacts to the semiconducting composite structure to form the semiconductor device.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/525,611Filed 27 Aug 2003
Priority: 28 Aug 2002
Published: 19 Oct 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification34 codes

H10D 64/011
Manufacture or treatment: of electrodes ohmically coupled to a semiconductor
C23C 14/0026
Reactive sputtering or evaporation: activation or excitation of reactive gases outside the coating chamber
C23C 14/0031
Activation or excitation of reactive gases outside the coating chamber: bombardment of substrates by reactive ion beams
C23C 14/081
Oxides: of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium