Photo-assisted CVD
AssigneeEnergy Conversion Devices, Inc.
InventorsDavid D. Allred, Lee Walter, Jaime M. Reyes, Stanford R. Ovshinsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process and apparatus for depositing a film from a gas involves introducing the gas to a deposition environment containing a substrate, heating the substrate, and irradiating the gas with radiation having a preselected energy spectrum, such that a film is deposited onto the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the energy spectrum of the radiation is below or approximately equal to that required to photochemically decompose the gas. In another embodiment, the gas is irradiated through a transparent member exposed at a first surface thereof to the deposition environment, and a flow of substantially inert gaseous material is passed along the first surface to minimize deposition thereon.
Claims7
A process for making an amorphous silicon and germanium alloy film comprising:
- providing a gas comprising silane and germane in a deposition environment containing the substrate;
- heating the substrate below the temperature required for pyrolysis of the silane and germane;
- irradiating the silane and germane with radiation below an energy level required to photochemically decompose the gas;
- and
- the combination of heat and radiation causing deposition of an amorphous silicon and germanium alloy film on the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.