Imec Vzw

Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (imec)

Interuniversitair Micorelektronica Centrum (imec, Vzw)

Interuniversifair Micro-elektronica Cenirum (imec Vzw)

Interuniversitair Micro Elektronica

Johan F Nijs

Jozef Szlufcik

J&ouml;rg Horzel

Matty Caymax

Jef Poortmans

Khalid Said

Lieven Stalmans

Mia Honor&eacute;

Kazuhiro Kobayashi

Kris A Baert

Emmanuel Van Kerschaver

Roland Einhaus

Jorg Horzel

Moustafa Y Ghannam

Robert Mertens

Roland Jozef Fick

The present invention describes a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising a semiconductor substrate in the shape of a slice, the method comprising the steps of: step 1) selectively applying a pattern of a solids-based dopant source to a first major surface of said semiconducting substrate; step 2) diffusing the dopant atoms from said solids-based dopant source into said substrate by a controlled heat treatment step in a gaseous environment surrounding said semi-conducting substrate, the dopant from said solids-based dopant source diffusing directly into said substrate to form a first diffusion region and, at the same time, diffusing said dopant from said solids-based dopant source indirectly via said gaseous environment into said substrate to form a second diffusion region in at least some areas of said substrate to form a second diffusion region in at least some areas of said substrate not covered by said pattern; and step 3) forming a metal contact pattern substantially in alignment with said first diffusion region without having etched said second diffusion region substantially.

Semiconductor device with selectively diffused regions

A thin-film opto-electronic device on a conductive silicon-containing substrate includes a sequence of layers. The layers include a layer of a porous medium preferably a porous silicon, on a substrate. The porous layer has both light diffusing and light reflecting properties. In addition, a non-porous layer is located on said porous silicon layer, with at least one first region and at least one second region being in said non-porous layer. The first region is of a first conductivity type acting as a light absorber and the second region has a conductivity of a second type, different from said first conductivity type. The sequence of layers is such that optical confinement is realised in the device.

Thin-film opto-electronic device and a method of making it

The present invention is related to a thin-film opto-electronic device and a method of fabricating the same. Particularly this thin film opto-electronic device is fabricated on a Si-containing substrate. The thin-film material is a crystalline semiconductor material. In order to increase the efficiency of this device a porous silicon layer is applied between the thin-film and the substrate. This porous silicon layer has both light reflecting and light diffusing properties thereby giving rise to light confinement in the thin-film.

The present invention describes a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising a semiconductor substrate ( ) in the shape of a slice, the method comprising the steps of: step 1) selectively applying a pattern of a solids-based dopant source to a first major surface of said semiconducting substrate ( ); step 2) diffusing the dopant atoms from said solids-based dopant source into said substrate ( ) by a controlled heat treatment step in a gaseous environment surrounding said semi-conducting substrate ( ), the dopant from said solids-based dopant source diffusing directly into said substrate ( ) to form a first diffusion region ( ) and, at the time, diffusing said dopant from said solids-based dopant source indirectly via said gaseous environment into said substrate ( ) to form a second diffusion region ( ) in at least some areas of said substrate ( ) not covered by said pattern; and step 3) forming a metal contact pattern ( ) substantially in alignment with said first diffusion region ( ) without having etched said second diffusion region ( ) substantially.

The solar cell in the semiconductor substrate includes at least a radiation receiving front surface and a second surface. The substrate includes a first region of one type of conductivity and a second region of the opposite conductivity type with at least a first part located adjacent to the front surface and a second part located adjacent to the second surface. The front surface includes conductive contacts to the second region and the second surface has separated contacts to the first region and to the second region. The contacts to the second region at the second surface are connected to the contacts at the front surface through a limited number of vias.

Solar cell and process of manufacturing the same

An open apparatus is described for the processing of planar thin semiconductor substrates, particularly for the processing of solar cells. The apparatus includes a first zone for the drying and burn-out of organic components from solid or liquid based dopant sources pre-applied to the substrates. The zone is isolated from the remaining zones of the apparatus by an isolating section to prevent cross-contamination between burn-out zone and the remaining processing zones. All the zones of the apparatus may be formed from a quartz tube around which heaters are placed for raising the temperature inside the quartz tube. Each zone may be purged with a suitable mixture of gases, e.g. inert gases such as argon, as well as oxygen and nitrogen. The zones may also be provided with gaseous dopants such as POCl,and the present invention includes the sequential diffusion of more than one dopant into the substrates. Some of the zones may be used for driving-in the dopants alternatively, for other processes, e.g. oxidation. The present invention also includes a method of operating the apparatus and the use of the apparatus in processing solar cells.

Furnace for continuous, high throughput diffusion processes from various diffusion sources

An open apparatus is described for the processing of planar thin semiconductor substrates, particularly for the processing of solar cells. The apparatus includes a first zone for the drying and burn-out of organic components from solid or liquid based dopant sources pre-applied to the substrates. The zone is isolated from the remaining zones of the apparatus by an isolating section to prevent cross-contamination between burn-out zone and the remaining processing zones. All the zones of the apparatus may be formed from a quartz tube around which heaters are placed for raising the temperature inside the quartz tube. Each zone may be purged with a suitable mixture of gases, e.g. inert gases such as argon, as well as oxygen and nitrogen. The zones may also be provided with gaseous dopants such as POCl.sub.3 and the present invention includes the sequential diffusion of more than one dopant into the substrates. Some of the zones may be used for driving-in the dopants alternatively, for other processes, e.g. oxidation. The present invention also includes a method of operating the apparatus and the use of the apparatus in processing solar cells.

Furnace for continuous, high throughput diffusion processes from various

Method of preparing on a solar cell the top contact pattern which consists of a set of parallel narrow finger lines and wide collector lines deposited essentially at right angles to the finger lines on the semiconductor substrate, characterized in that it comprises at least the following steps:

Method of preparing solar cell front contacts

A bipolar hetero-junction transistor has an emitter formed which consists of doped and hydrogenated semiconductor material which is at least partly in amorphous form. A high current gain (.beta.) is obtained due to the wide bandgap in the emitter material. Preferably, the layer forming the emitter consists of microcrystalline silicon which is doped and hydrogenated. This yields a small base resistance which is preferable for high frequency purposes. The amorphous bipolar hetero-junction transistor can be produced by a CVD-technique, by using a plasma or by photodissociation. The transistor having a microcrystalline emitter layer can be produced by one of the above methods or by heating an amorphous emitter layer.

Method of producing a bipolar transistor having an amorphous emitter

A thin film transistor is produced by applying onto a non-silicon foundation, a thin film of silicon semiconductor material under such conditions that polycrystalline or microcrystalline material is formed. Source and/or drain regions of doped semiconductor material are then formed onto the film; following by applying insulating material onto the film, and a gate region onto the insulating material. The source and/or drain regions are applied so that such regions have a crystalline structure that depends upon the crystalline structure of the underlying thin film. The resulting source and drain regions have high lateral conductivity so that source and drain contacts can be made with reduced cross-sectional areas. The method may employ a self-alignment process to simplify device production.

Growing community of inventors

Lubbeek, Belgium

Johan F Nijs