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Title: Modified laser-annealing process for improving the quality of electrical P-N junctions and devices

Abstract

The invention is a process for producing improved electrical-junction devices. The invention is applicable, for example, to a process in which a light-sensitive electrical-junction device is produced by (1) providing a body of crystalline semiconductor material having a doped surface layer, (2) irradiating the layer with at least one laser pulse to effect melting of the layer, (3) permitting recrystallization of the melted layer, and (4) providing the resulting body with electrical contacts. In accordance with the invention, the fill-factor and open-circuit-voltage parameters of the device are increased by conducting the irradiation with the substrate as a whole at a selected elevated temperature, the temperature being selected to effect a reduction in the rate of the recrystallization but insufficient to effect substantial migration of impurities within the body. In the case of doped silicon substrates, the substrate may be heated to a temperature in the range of from about 200.degree. C. to 500.degree. C.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Oak Ridge, TN
  2. Farragut, TN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
864910
Patent Number(s):
4436557
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-26
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
modified; laser-annealing; process; improving; quality; electrical; p-n; junctions; devices; producing; improved; electrical-junction; applicable; example; light-sensitive; device; produced; providing; crystalline; semiconductor; material; doped; surface; layer; irradiating; laser; pulse; effect; melting; permitting; recrystallization; melted; resulting; contacts; accordance; fill-factor; open-circuit-voltage; parameters; increased; conducting; irradiation; substrate; selected; elevated; temperature; reduction; rate; insufficient; substantial; migration; impurities; silicon; substrates; heated; range; 200; degree; 500; p-n junctions; silicon substrates; electrical contacts; p-n junction; electrical contact; laser pulse; semiconductor material; elevated temperature; silicon substrate; surface layer; improved electrical; doped silicon; crystalline semiconductor; annealing process; producing improved; junction device; junction devices; /438/136/148/257/

Citation Formats

Wood, Richard F, and Young, Rosa T. Modified laser-annealing process for improving the quality of electrical P-N junctions and devices. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Wood, Richard F, & Young, Rosa T. Modified laser-annealing process for improving the quality of electrical P-N junctions and devices. United States.
Wood, Richard F, and Young, Rosa T. Sun . "Modified laser-annealing process for improving the quality of electrical P-N junctions and devices". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864910.
@article{osti_864910,
title = {Modified laser-annealing process for improving the quality of electrical P-N junctions and devices},
author = {Wood, Richard F and Young, Rosa T},
abstractNote = {The invention is a process for producing improved electrical-junction devices. The invention is applicable, for example, to a process in which a light-sensitive electrical-junction device is produced by (1) providing a body of crystalline semiconductor material having a doped surface layer, (2) irradiating the layer with at least one laser pulse to effect melting of the layer, (3) permitting recrystallization of the melted layer, and (4) providing the resulting body with electrical contacts. In accordance with the invention, the fill-factor and open-circuit-voltage parameters of the device are increased by conducting the irradiation with the substrate as a whole at a selected elevated temperature, the temperature being selected to effect a reduction in the rate of the recrystallization but insufficient to effect substantial migration of impurities within the body. In the case of doped silicon substrates, the substrate may be heated to a temperature in the range of from about 200.degree. C. to 500.degree. C.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {1}
}