# US 2010/0164073 A1 · Electrical passivation of silicon-containing surfaces using organic layers

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- Number: US 2010/0164073 A1
- Document ID: US20100164073A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/505,663
- Filed: 2009-07-20
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2000-07-12
- Assignees: California Institute of Technology
- Inventors: Nathan S. Lewis; William Royea
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100164073A1

## CPC

- H10P 14/683: {carbon-based polymeric organic materials, e.g. polyimides, poly cyclobutene or PVC}
- H10D 64/0111: {to Group IV semiconductors}
- H10D 64/0121: {to Group IV semiconductors}
- H10F 77/311: {for photovoltaic cells}
- H10P 50/00: Etching of wafers, substrates or parts of devices
- H10W 20/081: {by forming openings in the dielectric parts}
- H10W 20/084: {for dual-damascene structures}
- H10W 74/137: {the encapsulations being directly on the semiconductor body (H10W74/134 takes precedence)}
- H10W 74/47: comprising organic materials, e.g. plastics or resins
- H10P 14/665: {Porous materials}
- H10W 20/0765: {the thin functional dielectric layers being temporary, e.g. sacrificial layers}
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Electrical structures and devices may be formed and include an organic passivating layer that is chemically bonded to a silicon-containing semiconductor material to improve the electrical properties of electrical devices. In different embodiments, the organic passivating layer may remain within finished devices to reduce dangling bonds, improve carrier lifetimes, decrease surface recombination velocities, increase electronic efficiencies, or the like. In other embodiments, the organic passivating layer may be used as a protective sacrificial layer and reduce contact resistance or reduce resistance of doped regions. The organic passivation layer may be formed without the need for high-temperature processing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrical structure comprising:
a silicon-containing material having a surface; and
an organic layer chemically bonded to the surface of the silicon-containing material,
wherein an electrical property of the electrical structure is significantly changed compared to a same structure without the organic layer.

### Claim at position 2

2-12. (canceled)

### Claim 13

A process for forming an electrical device comprising;
providing a silicon-containing material having a surface; and
forming an organic layer chemically bonded to the surface of the silicon-containing material, wherein an electrical property of the electrical device is significantly different compared to a same device if the organic layer is not formed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, wherein the organic layer affects the electrical property within the silicon-containing material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14, wherein the electrical property is selected from a group consisting of an surface recombination velocity, carrier lifetime, electronic efficiency, voltage, contact resistance, and resistance of a doped region.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, wherein the organic layer comprises a monolayer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, wherein the organic layer comprises a polymer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, further comprising doping a portion of the silicon-containing material at the surface, wherein:
the portion has a dopant concentration of at least approximately 1×1019 atoms per cubic centimeter immediately adjacent to the surface;
the silicon-containing material is at least part of a photovoltaic cell; and
doping is performed before forming the organic layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, further comprising forming a gate electrode over the organic layer, wherein:
the silicon-containing material is at least part of a channel region of a field-effect transistor;
the organic layer is at least part of a gate dielectric for the field-effect transistor; and
the gate electrode is a control electrode for the field-effect transistor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, further comprising:
forming a high-k material; and
forming a gate electrode, wherein:
the silicon-containing material is at least part of a channel region of a field-effect transistor;
the organic layer lies between the silicon-containing material and the high-k material; and
the high-k material is at least part of a gate dielectric for the field-effect transistor and lies between the silicon-containing material and the gate electrode.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, wherein forming the organic layer comprises:
activating the surface of the silicon-containing material to form an activated surface;
reacting the activated surface with a chemical, wherein during the reaction, a hydrocarbon group becomes chemically bonded to the silicon-containing material.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The process of claim 21, wherein activating comprises halogenating the surface of the silicon-containing material to form the activated surface.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The process of claim 22, wherein the hydrocarbon group has no more than nine carbon atoms.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23, wherein the hydrocarbon group is an alkyl group.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The process of claim 21, wherein the hydrocarbon group is an allyl group.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The process of claim 21, further comprising forming a polymer layer from the allyl group.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The process of claim 21, wherein the hydrocarbon group is an alkoxide group.

### Claim 28 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, wherein the silicon-containing material is substantially monocrystalline.

### Claim 29 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, wherein the silicon-containing material is polycrystalline.

### Claim 30 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13, wherein the silicon-containing material is substantially amorphous.

### Claim 31

A process for forming an electrical device comprising:
forming a patterned insulating layer over at least of the electrical device, wherein:
the patterned insulating layer defines an opening;
a silicon-containing region has an exposed portion at the opening; and
the silicon-containing region is at least part of an electrical component within the electrical device;
forming an organic layer chemically bonded to the surface of the silicon-containing region;
removing the organic layer; and
forming a metal-containing layer after removing the organic layer, wherein at least a portion of the metal-containing layer contacts the exposed portion of the silicon-containing region, and wherein the metal-containing layer is part of an electrical connection to the silicon-containing region.

### Claim at position 22

32-34. (canceled)

### Claim 35

A process for forming an electrical device comprising:
forming a patterned insulating layer over at least of the electrical device, wherein:
the patterned insulating layer defines an opening;
a silicon-containing region has an exposed portion at the opening; and
the silicon-containing region is at least part of an electrical component within the electrical device;
forming an organic layer chemically bonded to the surface of the crystalline material;
removing the organic layer; and
forming a dopant-source layer that contacts the exposed portion of the silicon-containing region.

### Claim at position 24

36-39. (canceled)