Crystallization and doping of amorphous silicon on low temperature plastic
A method or process of crystallizing and doping amorphous silicon (a-Si) on a low-temperature plastic substrate using a short pulsed high energy source in a selected environment, without heat propagation and build-up in the substrate is disclosed. The pulsed energy processing of the a-Si in a selected environment, such as BF3 and PF5, will form a doped micro-crystalline or poly-crystalline silicon (pc-Si) region or junction point with improved mobilities, lifetimes and drift and diffusion lengths and with reduced resistivity. The advantage of this method or process is that it provides for high energy materials processing on low cost, low temperature, transparent plastic substrates. Using pulsed laser processing a high (>900 C), localized processing temperature can be achieved in thin films, with little accompanying temperature rise in the substrate, since substrate temperatures do not exceed 180 C for more than a few microseconds. This method enables use of plastics incapable of withstanding sustained processing temperatures (higher than 180 C) but which are much lower cost, have high tolerance to ultraviolet light, have high strength and good transparency, compared to higher temperature plastics such as polyimide. 5 figs.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Assignee:
- Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5346850; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-968561
- OSTI ID:
- 6988232
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 29 Oct 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SILICON
CRYSTAL DOPING
CRYSTALLIZATION
AMORPHOUS STATE
CARRIER MOBILITY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
LASERS
SUBSTRATES
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
MOBILITY
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEMIMETALS
360601* - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture
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