Applied Materials, Inc.

Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc.

Guofu J Feng

Kam S Law

Robert M Robertson

Takako Takehara

Dan Maydan

Angela Lee

Michael Kollrack

William Reid Harshbarger

Jeff C Olsen

Yvonne LeGrice

Regina Qiu

Deposition methods for preparing amorphous silicon based films with controlled resistivity and low stress are described. Such films can be used as the interlayer in FED manufacturing. They can also be used in other electronic devices which require films with controlled resistivity in the range between those of an insulator and of a conductor. The deposition methods described in the present invention employ the method of chemical vapor deposition or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition; other film deposition techniques, such as physical vapor deposition, also may be used. In one embodiment, an amorphous silicon-based film is formed by introducing into a deposition chamber a silicon-based volatile, a conductivity-increasing volatile including one or more components for increasing the conductivity of the amorphous silicon-based film, and a conductivity-decreasing volatile including one or more components for decreasing the conductivity of the amorphous silicon-based film.

Method of depositing amorphous silicon based films having controlled conductivity

A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process for depositing conformal silicon oxide thin films useful to make thin film transistors which have stable electrical properties and low charge centers onto a substrate comprising flowing a precursor gas mixture of silane and nitrous oxide, the latter at a high rate, at a pressure of at least about 0.8 torr and a temperature of from about 250.degree. to 350.degree. C. The effective volume of the reaction region between the gas manifold inlet and the substrate during processing is kept small.

Deposition of high quality conformal silicon oxide thin films on glass

A method of depositing layers of intrinsic amorphous silicon and doped amorphous silicon sequentially on a substrate in the same CVD chamber without incurring a dopant contamination problem. The method can be carried out by first depositing an additional layer of a dielectric insulating material prior to the deposition process of the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer. The additional layer of insulating material deposited on the substrate should have a thickness such that residual insulating material coated on the chamber walls is sufficient to cover the residual dopants on the chamber walls left by the deposition process of the previous substrate. This provides a clean environment for the next deposition process of an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer on a substrate in the same CVD chamber.

Single chamber CVD process for thin film transistors

A multi-step CVD method for thin film transistor is disclosed. The method can be carried out by depositing a high quality g-SiN.sub.x at a low deposition rate on top of an average quality gate nitride deposited at a high deposition rate and then depositing an amorphous silicon layer. It also applies in a process where high quality amorphous silicon is first deposited at a low deposition rate on a gate nitride layer to form an interface, and then average quality amorphous silicon is deposited at a high deposition rate to complete the silicon layer. The unique process can be applied whenever an interface exists with an active semiconductor layer of amorphous silicon. The process is applicable to either the back channel etched TFT device or the etch stopped TFT device.

Multi-step chemical vapor deposition method for thin film transistors

An improved method of depositing films of a gate silicon nitride and an amorphous silicon on a thin film transistor substrate at high deposition rates while maintaining superior film quality is provided. The material near the interface between the amorphous silicon and the nitride are deposited at a low deposition rate which produces superior quality films. The region away from the interface are deposited at a high deposition rate which produces lesser, but still good quality films. By using this method, superior quality thin film transistors can be produced at very high efficiency. The method can be carried out by depositing a high quality g-SiN.sub.x at a low deposition rate on top of an average quality gate nitride deposited at a high deposition rate and then depositing an amorphous silicon layer. It also applies in a process where high quality amorphous silicon is first deposited at a low deposition rate on a gate nitride layer to form an interface, and then average quality amorphous silicon is deposited at a high deposition rate to complete the silicon layer. The unique process can be applied whenever an interface exists with an active semiconductor layer of amorphous silicon. The process is applicable to either the back channel etched TFT device or the etch stopped TFT device.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Guofu J Feng