Deposition of device quality, low hydrogen content, hydrogenated amorphous silicon at high deposition rates with increased stability using the hot wire filament technique

Patent · Tue Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 2000

OSTI ID:879523

Molenbroek, Edith C ^[1]; Mahan, Archie Harvin ^[2]; Gallagher, Alan C ^[3]

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1. Utrecht, NL
2. Golden, CO
3. Louisville, CO

A method or producing hydrogenated amorphous silicon on a substrate, comprising the steps of: positioning the substrate in a deposition chamber at a distance of about 0.5 to 3.0 cm from a heatable filament in the deposition chamber; maintaining a pressure in said deposition chamber in the range of about 10 to 100 millitorr and pressure times substrate-filament spacing in the range of about 10 to 100 millitorr-cm, heating the filament to a temperature in the range of about 1,500 to 2,000.degree. C., and heating the substrate to a surface temperature in the range of about 280 to 475.degree. C.; and flowing silicohydride gas into the deposition chamber with said heated filament, decomposing said silicohydride gas into silicon and hydrogen atomic species and allowing products of gas reactions between said atomic species and the silicohydride gas to migrate to and deposit on said substrate while adjusting and maintaining said pressure times substrate-filament spacing in said deposition chamber at a value in said 10 to 100 millitorr range to produce statistically about 3 to 50 atomic collisions between the silicon and hydrogen atomic species migrating to said substrate and undecomposed molecules of the silane or other silicohydride gas in the deposition chamber.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-83CH10093
• Assignee: Midwest Research Institute (Kansas City, MO)
• Patent Number(s): US 6,124,186
• Application Number: 09/066276
• OSTI ID: 879523
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English