# US 2013/0260545 A1 · Methods and compositions for doping silicon substrates with molecular monolayers

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- Number: US 2013/0260545 A1
- Document ID: US20130260545A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/875,566
- Filed: 2013-05-02
- Published: 2013-10-03
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-08
- Assignees: Dynaloy, LLC
- Applicants: Dynaloy, LLC
- Inventors: Kimberly Dona Pollard; Allison C. Tonk
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130260545A1

## CPC

- H10P 32/16: between a solid phase and a liquid phase
- H10P 32/1408: {from or through or into an external applied layer, e.g. photoresist or nitride layers}
- H10P 32/171: {being group IV material}
- H10P 32/19: {Diffusion sources}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Compositions and methods for doping silicon substrates by treating the substrate with a diluted dopant solution comprising tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme) and a dopant-containing material and subsequently diffusing the dopant into the surface by rapid thermal annealing. Diethyl-1-propylphosphonate and allylboronic acid pinacol ester are preferred dopant-containing materials, and are preferably included in the diluted dopant solution in an amount ranging from about 1% to about 20%, with a dopant amount of 4% or less being more preferred.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
contacting a silicon-containing substrate with a dopant solution to form a layer of dopant-containing material on the silicon-containing substrate, the dopant solution including a solvent and a dopant, wherein the dopant solution has a flash point greater than 120° C.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dopant includes one or more elements of Group III of the Periodic Table, one or more elements of Group V of the Periodic Table, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing substrate includes crystalline silicon.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising cleaning the silicon-containing substrate to remove oxides before contacting the silicon-containing substrate with the dopant solution.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising treating the silicon-containing substrate with 3-methyl-3-methoxybutanol.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a capping layer to the silicon-containing substrate after contacting the silicon-containing substrate with the dopant solution.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the capping layer has a thickness of about 50 nm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the capping layer is applied by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising annealing the silicon-containing substrate to diffuse the dopant into the silicon-containing substrate.

### Claim 10

A method, comprising:
contacting a surface including crystalline silicon with a dopant solution to form a layer of dopant-containing material on the surface, the dopant solution including a solvent and a dopant, wherein the solvent is a polar solvent.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein an amount of the dopant in the dopant solution is included in a range of 1 wt % to 20 wt % of a total weight of the dopant solution.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the dopant solution includes less than 4 wt % of the dopant for a total weight of the dopant solution.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the dopant solution has a contact angle of 0° when applied to the surface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the dopant includes arsenic, gallium, boron, phosphorus, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 15

A method comprising:
contacting a silicon-containing surface with a dopant solution to form a layer of dopant-containing material on the silicon-containing surface, the dopant solution including a solvent and arsenic-containing molecules.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the solvent is one of a plurality of solvents of the dopant solution.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of solvents include tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether, triethylene glycol dimethyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylsulfone, N-methylpyrrolidone, 1-formyl piperidine, Isopar M, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, safflower oil, grape seed oil, poppyseed oil, sunflower oil, hemp oil, corn oil, wheat germ oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil, pistachio oil, peanut oil, canola oil, chicken fat, egg yolk, linseed oil, lard, olive oil, palm oil, cocoa butter, macadamia oil, butter, coconut oil, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein a flash point of the dopant solution is greater than 120° C.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the dopant solution is miscible in water.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the contacting the silicon-containing surface with the dopant solution includes immersing a silicon substrate containing crystalline silicon in the dopant solution.