Germanium detector passivated with hydrogenated amorphous germanium
Abstract
Passivation of predominantly crystalline semiconductor devices (12) is provided for by a surface coating (21) of sputtered hydrogenated amorphous semiconductor material. Passivation of a radiation detector germanium diode, for example, is realized by sputtering a coating (21) of amorphous germanium onto the etched and quenched diode surface (11) in a low pressure atmosphere of hydrogen and argon. Unlike prior germanium diode semiconductor devices (12), 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 (21) compensates for pre-existing undesirable surface states as well as protecting the semiconductor device (12) against future impregnation with impurities.
- Inventors:
-
- Walnut Creek, CA
- Berkeley, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 865854
- Patent Number(s):
- 4589006
- 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-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- germanium; detector; passivated; hydrogenated; amorphous; passivation; predominantly; crystalline; semiconductor; devices; 12; provided; surface; coating; 21; sputtered; material; radiation; diode; example; realized; sputtering; etched; quenched; 11; pressure; atmosphere; hydrogen; argon; unlike; prior; maintained; vacuum; cryogenic; temperatures; avoid; deterioration; processed; described; manner; stored; air; temperature; otherwise; exposed; variety; environmental; conditions; compensates; pre-existing; undesirable; protecting; device; future; impregnation; impurities; surface coating; cryogenic temperature; cryogenic temperatures; semiconductor material; hydrogenated amorphous; radiation detector; semiconductor device; semiconductor devices; environmental conditions; crystalline semiconductor; amorphous semiconductor; pressure atmosphere; germanium detector; /257/148/204/438/
Citation Formats
Hansen, William L, and Haller, Eugene E. Germanium detector passivated with hydrogenated amorphous germanium. United States: N. p., 1986.
Web.
Hansen, William L, & Haller, Eugene E. Germanium detector passivated with hydrogenated amorphous germanium. United States.
Hansen, William L, and Haller, Eugene E. Wed .
"Germanium detector passivated with hydrogenated amorphous germanium". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865854.
@article{osti_865854,
title = {Germanium detector passivated with hydrogenated amorphous germanium},
author = {Hansen, William L and Haller, Eugene E},
abstractNote = {Passivation of predominantly crystalline semiconductor devices (12) is provided for by a surface coating (21) of sputtered hydrogenated amorphous semiconductor material. Passivation of a radiation detector germanium diode, for example, is realized by sputtering a coating (21) of amorphous germanium onto the etched and quenched diode surface (11) in a low pressure atmosphere of hydrogen and argon. Unlike prior germanium diode semiconductor devices (12), 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 (21) compensates for pre-existing undesirable surface states as well as protecting the semiconductor device (12) against future impregnation with impurities.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1986},
month = {1}
}