Process for low temperature semiconductor fabrication
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorJames J. Alwan
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Abstract
A method for forming semiconductor devices without utilizing high temperature processing involves forming a surface porous silicon layer. The surface porous silicon layer may be removed by selective etching or it may be oxidized and then removed by selective etching. In the case of a field emission display, the porous silicon formation process is sufficiently controllable that uniform emitters may be formed. Moreover, by maintaining the structure at a temperature below the temperature at which substantial diffusion of alkaline constituents occurs, soda-lime glass may be used as a substrate for making semiconductor devices.
Claims8
A method for forming a semiconductor device utilizing a soda-lime glass structure comprising:
- depositing a silicon layer directly on said soda-lime glass structure at a temperature below the temperature at which alkaline constituents in said soda-lime glass diffuse into said silicon layer;
- defining a feature in said silicon layer without using temperatures in excess of the temperature at which deleterious diffusion of alkaline constituents in said soda-lime glass occurs;
- and
- oxidizing the feature on said silicon layer using a chemical oxidizer.
A method of forming a field emission display comprising:
- forming said field emission display with an amorphous silicon layer in contact with a soda-lime glass without causing substantial diffusion of alkaline constituents from said soda-lime glass to said silicon;
- forming an emitter structure with a tip from a semiconductor layer;
- and
- sharpening the tip of said emitter structure by forming a porous silicon layer on said tip and oxidizing said porous silicon layer using a chemical oxidizer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.