Semiconductor with protective surface coating and method of manufacture thereof. [Patent application]
Abstract
Passivation of predominantly crystalline semiconductor devices is provided for by a surface coating of sputtered hydrogenated amorphous semiconductor material. Passivation of a radiation detector germanium diode, for example, is realized by sputtering a coating of amorphous germanium onto the etched and quenched diode surface in a low pressure atmosphere of hydrogen and argon. Unlike prior germanium diode semiconductor devices, which must be maintained in vacuum at cryogenic temperatures to avoid deterioration, a diode processed in the described manner may be stored in air at room temperature or otherwise exposed to a variety of environmental conditions. The coating compensates for pre-existing undesirable surface states as well as protecting the semiconductor device against future impregnation with impurities.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6155548
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; GERMANIUM DIODES; SURFACE COATING; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; FABRICATION; RADIATION DETECTORS; DEPOSITION; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES; 420800* - Engineering- Electronic Circuits & Devices- (-1989); 440100 - Radiation Instrumentation
Citation Formats
Hansen, W L, and Haller, E E. Semiconductor with protective surface coating and method of manufacture thereof. [Patent application]. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Hansen, W L, & Haller, E E. Semiconductor with protective surface coating and method of manufacture thereof. [Patent application]. United States.
Hansen, W L, and Haller, E E. Fri .
"Semiconductor with protective surface coating and method of manufacture thereof. [Patent application]". United States.
@article{osti_6155548,
title = {Semiconductor with protective surface coating and method of manufacture thereof. [Patent application]},
author = {Hansen, W L and Haller, E E},
abstractNote = {Passivation of predominantly crystalline semiconductor devices is provided for by a surface coating of sputtered hydrogenated amorphous semiconductor material. Passivation of a radiation detector germanium diode, for example, is realized by sputtering a coating of amorphous germanium onto the etched and quenched diode surface in a low pressure atmosphere of hydrogen and argon. Unlike prior germanium diode semiconductor devices, which must be maintained in vacuum at cryogenic temperatures to avoid deterioration, a diode processed in the described manner may be stored in air at room temperature or otherwise exposed to a variety of environmental conditions. The coating compensates for pre-existing undesirable surface states as well as protecting the semiconductor device against future impregnation with impurities.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1980},
month = {9}
}