Amorphous semiconductors equivalent to crystalline semiconductors

A method of making an amorphous semiconductor film to comprise an amorphous host matrix having at least one element and which has electronic configurations which have an energy gap with a density of localized states which adversely affect the obtainment of a given electrical characteristic unless compensated or altered by a compensating or altering material, said method comprising:

• depositing on a substrate an amorphous semiconductor host matrix film and introducing therein a plurality of different compensating or altering materials comprising at least fluorine and which, as they are introduced into said host matrix material, are in an activated form produced in a manner where the amount produced and the form thereof is independent of the process of depositing the film.

A method of making a semiconductor film having good photoconductive properties, the film comprising an amorphous photoconductive semiconductor host matrix having structural configurations which would have a high density of localized states which adversely affects the obtainment of a high degree of photoconductivity unless compensated or altered by a compensating or altering material, said method comprising:

• vaporizing the element or elements which are to form said semiconductor host matrix in an evacuated space, condensing the same on a substrate in said evacuated space while introducing into the depositing film a plurality of compensating or altering materials comprising at least fluorine and which substantially reduces the density of said localized states and the dark conductivity thereof from that which would be provided without introducing said plurality of compensating or altering materials.

A method of making a semiconductor film having a given desirable electrical characteristic and to comprise an amorphous semiconductor host matrix and which would have structural configurations having a high density of localized states in the energy gap thereof adversely affecting the obtainment of said electrical characteristic unless compensated or altered by a compensating or altering material, said method comprising:

• vaporizing the element of elements which are to form said semiconductor host matrix in an evacuated space, and condensing the same on a substrate in said evacuated space while introducing into the depositing film a plurality of compensating or altering materials comprising at least fluorine and in an amount which substantially reduces the density of said localized states from that which would be provided without introducing said plurality of compensating or altering materials.

A method of making an amorphous semiconductor film to comprise an amorphous host matrix having at least one element including silicon and which has electronic configurations which have an energy gap with a density of localized states which adversely affect the obtainment of a given electrical characteristic unless compensated or altered by a compensating or altering material, said method comprising:

• introducing into such amorphous semiconductor host matrix at least one compensating material including fluorine which, as it is introduced into said host matrix material, is in activated form.

A method of making a p-n junction-containing amorphous semiconductor host matrix body having structural configurations which would have configurations having an energy gap with a high density or localized states therein unless compensated or altered by a compensating or altering material, said method comprising the steps of vaporizing in an evacuated space the element or elements which are to form said semiconductor body, condensing the same as a film upon a substrate, introducing into the depositing film a plurality of compensating or altering materials comprising at least fluorine and which will cause the film to have a relatively low density of localized states in the energy gap thereof, and during only part of the period said film is being deposited injecting a modifying agent which will impart thereto either a p or n-type conductivity to form a p-n junction in the film.

A method of making an amorphous semiconductor host matrix body having structural configurations which would have configurations having an energy gap with a high density of localized states therein unless compensated or altered by a compensating or altering material, said method comprising the steps of vaporizing in an evacuated space the element or elements which are to form said semiconductor body, condensing the same as a film upon a substrate, and introducing into the film a plurality of different compensating or altering materials which will cause the film to have a relatively low density of localized states in the energy gap thereof, while elevating the temperature of the film to a point below the crystallization temperature thereof to reduce the porosity of the film and the localized states in the energy gap.