Boride thin films on silicon
AssigneeThe Penn State Research Foundation
InventorsZi-Kui Liu, Zhi-Jie Liu, Xiaoxing Xi
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Abstract
Boride thin films of conducting and superconducting materials are formed on silicon by a process which combines physical vapor deposition with chemical vapor deposition. Embodiments include forming boride films, such as magnesium diboride, on silicon substrates by physically generating magnesium vapor in a deposition chamber and introducing a boron containing precursor into the chamber which combines with the magnesium vapor to form a thin boride film on the silicon substrates.
Claims14
A method of forming a thin film of magnesium boride on a silicon substrate, the method comprising:
- introducing a substrate having a surface consisting essentially of silicon into a chamber;
- physically generating vapor from at least one source of magnesium, which is within the chamber with the substrate;
- and
- introducing at least one boron precursor to the chamber, which combines with the vapor from the at least one source of magnesium to form a thin film of superconductive magnesium boride on the surface consisting essentially of silicon of the substrate, wherein
- the formed magnesium boride film is substantially free of magnesium-silicon contaminates between the surface consisting essentially of silicon and the magnesium boride film and
- the pressure of the magnesium vapor is maintained within Log(P)=−9549.5/T+9.1;
- and Log(P)=−10142/T+8.562, where P represents pressure in units of Torr and T represents temperature in Kelvin.
A method of forming a thin film of magnesium boride on a silicon substrate, the method comprising:
- introducing a silicon substrate having a surface consisting essentially of silicon into a chamber;
- physically generating magnesium vapor from a magnesium source by heating the magnesium source within the chamber;
- introducing diborane to the chamber;
- and
- forming a superconductive magnesium diboride thin film directly on the surface consisting essentially of silicon, wherein
- the pressure of the magnesium vapor is maintained within about Log(P)=−9549.5/T+9.1;
- and Log(P)=−10142/T+8.562, where P represents pressure in units of Torr and T represents temperature in Kelvin (K).
A method of forming a thin film of magnesium boride on a silicon substrate, the method comprising:
- introducing a silicon substrate having a surface consisting essentially of silicon into a chamber;
- maintaining magnesium vapor at a magnesium partial pressure within the chamber between about Log(P)=−9549.5/T+9.1 and about Log(P)=−10142/T+8.562, P represents pressure in units of Torr and T represents temperature in Kelvin;
- and
- introducing at least one boron precursor to the chamber to combine with the magnesium vapor to form a thin film of superconductive magnesium boride on the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.