U.S. patent application number 15/994510 was filed with the patent office on 2019-12-05 for transparent ultraviolet photodetector.
The applicant listed for this patent is International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Damon Farmer, Shu-Jen Han.
Application Number | 20190371955 15/994510 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 68466467 |
Filed Date | 2019-12-05 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190371955 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Farmer; Damon ; et
al. |
December 5, 2019 |
TRANSPARENT ULTRAVIOLET PHOTODETECTOR
Abstract
A method of fabricating a visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV)
photodetector is provided. The method includes laying a first
electrode onto a substrate surface, the first electrode being
formed of a carbon-based, single-layer material. A block is
patterned over an end of the first electrode and portions of the
substrate surface. The block is formed of a visibly transparent
material that is able to be deposited into the block at 75.degree.
C.-125.degree. C. In addition, the method includes masking a
section of the block and exposed sections of the first electrode. A
second electrode is laid onto an unmasked section of the block with
an end of the second electrode laid onto the substrate surface. The
second electrode is formed of the carbon-based, single-layer
material.
Inventors: |
Farmer; Damon; (White
Plains, NY) ; Han; Shu-Jen; (Cortlandt Manor,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
International Business Machines Corporation |
Armonk |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
68466467 |
Appl. No.: |
15/994510 |
Filed: |
May 31, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 31/0296 20130101;
H01L 31/101 20130101; H01L 31/0224 20130101; H01L 31/1828 20130101;
H01L 31/035209 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 31/101 20060101
H01L031/101; H01L 31/0224 20060101 H01L031/0224; H01L 31/0352
20060101 H01L031/0352; H01L 31/0296 20060101 H01L031/0296; H01L
31/18 20060101 H01L031/18 |
Claims
1. A method of fabricating a visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV)
photodetector, the method comprising: laying a first electrode onto
a substrate surface, the first electrode being formed of a
carbon-based, single-layer material; patterning a block over an end
of the first electrode and portions of the substrate surface, the
block being formed of a visibly transparent material that is able
to be deposited into the block at 75.degree. C.-125.degree. C.;
masking a section of the block and exposed sections of the first
electrode; and laying a second electrode onto an unmasked section
of the block with an end of the second electrode laid onto the
substrate surface, the second electrode being formed of the
carbon-based, single-layer material.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the substrate surface
is visibly transparent; and the method further comprises depositing
first and second conductive contacts comprising materials selected
from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), palladium (Pd) and gold
(Au) onto respective opposite ends of the first and second graphene
electrodes.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second
electrodes are doped with n-type or p-type dopants.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein laying the first and
second electrodes comprises: executing a process selected from the
group consisting of mechanically exfoliating, transferring and
epitaxially growing the first and second graphene electrodes; and
etching the first and second electrodes to form first and second
electrode strips.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein patterning the block,
masking the section of the block, and masking the exposed sections
of the first electrode each comprises lithographic patterning and
deposition.
6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising depositing a
seed layer over the end of the first electrode and the portions of
the substrate surface prior to patterning the block.
7. A method of fabricating a visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV)
photodetector, the method comprising: laying a first graphene
electrode between a substrate surface and a first conductive
contact; patterning a zinc oxide (ZnO) block over an end of the
first graphene electrode and proximal portions of the substrate
surface at a distance from the first conductive contact; masking
complementary sections of the first conductive contact and the ZnO
block; masking a region defined between the complementary sections
of the first conductive contact and the ZnO block; laying a second
graphene electrode onto an unmasked section of the ZnO block with
an end of the second graphene electrode being laid onto the
substrate surface; and assembling a second conductive contact onto
the end of the second graphene electrode.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: the substrate surface
is visibly transparent, and the first and second conductive
contacts comprise a material selected from the group consisting of
titanium (Ti), palladium (Pd) and gold (Au).
9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first and second
graphene electrodes are doped with n-type or p-type dopants.
10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the laying of the
first graphene electrode between the substrate surface and the
first conductive contact comprises: a process selected from the
group of processes consisting of mechanically exfoliating,
transferring and epitaxially growing the first graphene electrode;
and etching the first graphene electrode into a first graphene
electrode strip; and lithographically depositing the first
conductive contact onto an end of the first graphene electrode
strip.
11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the patterning of the
ZnO block, the masking of the complementary sections of the first
conductive contact and the ZnO block and the masking of the region
between the complementary sections of the first conductive contact
and the ZnO block each comprises lithographic patterning and
deposition.
12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising depositing
a seed layer over the end of the first graphene electrode and the
proximal portions of the substrate surface prior to the patterning
of the ZnO block.
13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the laying of the
second graphene electrode comprises: a process selected from the
group of processes consisting of mechanically exfoliating,
transferring and epitaxially growing the second graphene electrode;
and etching the second graphene electrode into a second graphene
electrode strip.
14. A visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV) photodetector,
comprising: a substrate surface; and a visibly transparent stack
assembled on the substrate surface, the visibly transparent stack
comprising: first and second graphene electrodes; and a zinc oxide
(ZnO) block interleaved between the first and second graphene
electrodes, wherein the first and second graphene electrodes are
formed into strips which are narrower than the ZnO block.
15. The visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV) photodetector
according to claim 14, wherein the substrate surface comprises a
material selected from the group consisting of visibly transparent
glass and visibly transparent plastic.
16. The visibly transparent, UV photodetector according to claim
14, wherein the first and second graphene electrodes are doped with
n-type or p-type dopants.
17. (canceled)
18. The visibly transparent, UV photodetector according to claim
14, wherein the second graphene electrode comprises a connective
section which extends from an upper surface of the ZnO block to the
substrate surface.
19. The visibly transparent, UV photodetector according to claim
14, wherein first and second conductive contacts comprising
materials selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti),
palladium (Pd) and gold (Au) are deposited onto respective opposite
ends of the first and second graphene electrodes.
20. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention generally relates to transparent
ultraviolet photodetectors. More specifically, the present
invention relates to a transparent ultraviolet photodetector
configured to achieve a combination of low temperature processing
and visible light transparency.
[0002] Photo-sensors or photodetectors are sensors that detect or
sense light and/or other electromagnetic energy. A photodetector
typically operates by converting incident light (i.e., photons)
into charged carriers. These charged carriers are then directed
into electrodes as current that is used to identify when photo
detection has occurred. Photodetectors are used in a variety of
applications, including, for example, applications involving
plastic and flexible substrate platforms.
SUMMARY
[0003] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a
method of fabricating a visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV)
photodetector. A non-limiting example of the method includes laying
a first electrode onto a substrate surface, the first electrode
being formed of a carbon-based, single-layer material. A block is
patterned over an end of the first electrode and portions of the
substrate surface. The block is formed of a visibly transparent
material that is able to be deposited into the block at 75.degree.
C.-125.degree. C. In addition, the method includes masking a
section of the block and exposed sections of the first electrode. A
second electrode is laid onto an unmasked section of the block with
an end of the second electrode laid onto the substrate surface. The
second electrode is formed of the carbon-based, single-layer
material.
[0004] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to method
of fabricating a visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV)
photodetector. A non-limiting example of the method includes laying
a first graphene electrode between a substrate surface and a first
conductive contact. A zinc oxide (ZnO) block is patterned over an
end of the first graphene electrode and proximal portions of the
substrate surface at a distance from the first conductive contact.
The non-limiting example of the method further includes masking
complementary sections of the first conductive contact and the ZnO
block and masking a region defined between the complementary
sections of the first conductive contact and the ZnO block. A
second graphene electrode is laid onto an unmasked section of the
ZnO block with an end of the second graphene electrode being laid
onto the substrate surface. A second conductive contact is
assembled onto the end of the second graphene electrode.
[0005] Embodiments of the invention are directed to a visibly
transparent, ultraviolet (UV) photodetector. A non-limiting example
of the visibly transparent, UV photodetector includes a visibly
transparent stack assembled on a substrate surface. In the
non-limiting example of the visibly transparent, UV photodetector,
the visibly transparent stack includes a zinc oxide (ZnO) block
interleaved between first and second graphene electrodes.
[0006] Additional technical features and benefits are realized
through the techniques of the present invention. Embodiments and
aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are
considered a part of the claimed subject matter. For a better
understanding, refer to the detailed description and to the
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The specifics of the exclusive rights described herein are
particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at
the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other
features and advantages of the embodiments of the invention are
apparent from the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a side view of a first graphene electrode
assembled between a conductive contact and a substrate surface in
accordance with embodiments of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a top-down view of the first graphene electrode,
the conductive contact and the substrate surface of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of a zinc oxide (ZnO) block formed on
the first graphene electrode of FIGS. 1 and 2 in accordance with
embodiments of the invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a top-down view of the ZnO block formed on the
first graphene electrode of FIG. 3;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a side view of a mask formed between the
conductive contact and the ZnO block of FIGS. 3 and 4 in accordance
with embodiments of the invention;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a top-down view of the mask of FIG. 5;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a side view of a second graphene electrode formed
on the ZnO block and the substrate surface of FIGS. 5 and 6 in
accordance with embodiments of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a top-down view of the second graphene electrode
of FIG. 7;
[0016] FIG. 9 is a side view of an operation of a photodetector in
accordance with embodiments of the invention; and
[0017] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of
fabricating a visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV) photodetector
in accordance with embodiments.
[0018] The diagrams depicted herein are illustrative. There can be
many variations to the diagram or the operations described therein
without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance,
the actions can be performed in a differing order or actions can be
added, deleted or modified. Also, the term "coupled" and variations
thereof describes having a communications path between two elements
and does not imply a direct connection between the elements with no
intervening elements/connections between them. All of these
variations are considered a part of the specification.
[0019] In the accompanying figures and following detailed
description of the described embodiments, the various elements
illustrated in the figures are provided with two or three digit
reference numbers. With minor exceptions, the leftmost digit(s) of
each reference number correspond to the figure in which its element
is first illustrated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to
semiconductor device, integrated circuit (IC) and photodetector
fabrication may or may not be described in detail herein. Moreover,
the various tasks and process steps described herein can be
incorporated into a more comprehensive procedure or process having
additional steps or functionality not described in detail herein.
In particular, various steps in the manufacture of semiconductor
devices, semiconductor-based ICs and photodetectors are well known
and so, in the interest of brevity, many conventional steps will
only be mentioned briefly herein or will be omitted entirely
without providing the well-known process details.
[0021] Turning now to an overview of technologies that are more
specifically relevant to aspects of the invention, optically
transparent ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors are conventionally made
of wide band gap materials. These include, but are not limited to,
silicon carbide (SiC), gallium phosphide (GaP) and gallium nitride
(GaN). Relative to ZnO deposition, which can be accomplished at
temperatures as low as 75.degree. C.-125.degree. C., deposition
and/or growth of SiC, GaP and GaN are high temperature processes.
Furthermore, GaP and GaN are less visibly transparent than ZnO
within the visible light range (390 nm-700 nm). For comparison, at
400 nm, GaP loses all of its transparency while GaN loses
approximately 75% of its transparency.
[0022] Turning now to an overview of the aspects of the invention,
one or more embodiments of the invention address the
above-described shortcomings of the prior art by presenting a
pathway for fabricating visibly transparent, ultraviolet (UV)
photodetectors with low temperature processes. The method utilizes
a first material, such as graphene or another suitable material, as
an electrode material and a second material, such as zinc oxide
(ZnO) or another suitable material, as a main UV absorbing material
to realize the photodetecting device. The first material (i.e., the
graphene) is disposed in layers and provides for light transmission
at 400 nm beyond what would be possible with conventional
photodetectors. The first material (i.e., the graphene) is also
transferred, instead of grown or deposited, onto the substrate of
interest in an inherently low temperature process.
[0023] The photodetector having been made of the first and second
materials (i.e., the graphene and the ZnO) will allow for a
combination of low temperature processing and visible light
transparency that is not achievable with other commonly-used
materials. These characteristics make the proposed photodetector a
candidate for applications involving plastic and flexible substrate
platforms.
[0024] The above-described aspects of the invention address the
shortcomings of the prior art in that they present a practical
scheme to fabricate visibly transparent UV photodetectors based on
graphene and ZnO. The resulting visibly transparent UV
photodetectors have a structure in which incident UV radiation is
absorbed by the second material (i.e., the ZnO) and an excited
charge is transferred to electrodes of the first material (i.e.,
the graphene). This leads to a detectable increase in current
through the device. The fabrication scheme includes a deposition of
the second material onto the first material (i.e., a deposition of
the ZnO onto the graphene) by atomic layer deposition with another
layer of the first material placed on top of the second material
(i.e., the graphene placed on top of the ZnO). This forms a visibly
transparent first material/second material/first material (i.e.,
graphene/ZnO/graphene) stack.
[0025] For purposes of clarity and brevity, the following
description will generally refer to the first material as being
graphene and to the second material as being ZnO. This is done for
clarity and brevity but it is to be understood that the first and
second materials need not be limited to graphene and ZnO and that
the disclosure as a whole is not limited to the graphene and ZnO
embodiments.
[0026] Turning now to a more detailed description of aspects of the
present invention, FIG. 1 is a side view of a substrate 10 having
an upper surface 11, a first conductive contact 12 and a first
graphene electrode 13 laid between the first conductive contact 12
and the upper surface 11 of the substrate 10. The substrate 10 and
the upper surface 11 can be formed of visibly transparent materials
including, but not limited to, visibly transparent glass and
visibly transparent plastic. As used herein, visible transparency
can refer, for example, to a property of a material whereby the
material transmits light without appreciable scattering so that
bodies lying beyond are visible to the human eye. The first
graphene electrode 13 is positioned or laid on the upper surface 11
in an inherently low-temperature process. This inherently
low-temperature process can be executed with respect to an entirety
of the first graphene electrode 13 as a process that is selected
from the group of processes consisting of mechanical exfoliation
and a transfer process.
[0027] The first graphene electrode 13 can be initially grown on a
copper foil. Once the first graphene electrode 13 is completely
grown, the graphene surface can be coated with a layer of polymer
resist, and the copper foil can be etched with the polymer resist
providing structural support. The first graphene electrode 13 and
the polymer resist are then transferred to a water-based solution.
The first graphene electrode 13 and the polymer resist are then
removed from the water-based solution and transferred to the
substrate 10. The first graphene electrode 13 can be doped with
either n-type or p-type dopants.
[0028] With reference to FIG. 2, once the first graphene electrode
13 is positioned or laid onto the upper surface 11, the first
graphene electrode 13 can be formed into a first graphene electrode
strip 130 that extends from an edge 110 of the upper surface 11
along a significant length of the upper surface 11. Formation of
the first graphene electrode 13 into the first graphene electrode
strip 130 can be executed by the formation of a mask, which can
include polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resist material that is
patterned by electron-beam lithography techniques, and a subsequent
etch of sections of the first graphene electrode 13 that are
exposed by the mask. The subsequent etch can be a reactive ion etch
(ME). Following completion of the etch process, the mask can be
removed by, for example dissolution in acetone for PMMA resist
material.
[0029] The first conductive contact 12 can include a material
selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), palladium (Pd)
and gold (Au). The first conductive contact 12 can be patterned and
deposited on an end of the first graphene electrode strip 130
proximate to or coplanar with the edge 111 of the upper surface 11
by, for example, PMMA-based lift-off lithography. As shown in FIG.
2, a width of the first graphene electrode strip 130 is less than a
corresponding width of the first conductive contact 12.
[0030] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a ZnO block 14 is formed on
an upper surface 131 of the first graphene electrode strip 130 at a
distance from the first conductive contact 12. With the ZnO block
14 formed at the distance from the first conductive contact 12,
respective complementary sections 120 and 140 of the first
conductive contact 12 and the ZnO block 14 are separated by a
distance D. The distance D defines a region 1214 between the first
conductive contact 12 and the ZnO block 14 through which a
corresponding section of the first graphene electrode strip 130 is
exposed. The ZnO block 14 can be patterned and deposited by, for
example, atomic layer deposition in a relatively low-temperature
environment of between 75.degree. C.-125.degree. C. and PMMA-based
lift-off lithography.
[0031] In some cases, atomic layer deposition (ALD) can be used to
form the ZnO block 14. In such cases, the inert upper surface 131
of the first graphene electrode strip 13 could be required to be
functionalized with a seed molecule layer to promote nucleation
(see block 1003 of FIG. 10). The seed molecule could be nitrogen
dioxide or another suitable molecule.
[0032] In accordance with alternative embodiments of the invention,
it is to be understood that blocks of other materials could be used
in addition to or instead of the ZnO block 14. For example, an
indium tin oxide (ITO) block could be used.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, a width of the first graphene electrode
strip 130 is less than a corresponding width of the ZnO block 14.
In some cases, the respective widths of the first conductive
contact 12 and the ZnO block 14 can be substantially similar.
[0034] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a mask 15 is formed between
the respective complementary sections 120 and 140 of the first
conductive contact 12 and in the region 1214 such that the
corresponding section of the first graphene electrode strip 130 is
masked. The mask 15 can be an insulating hard mask and can be
deposited by, for example, PMMA-based lift-off lithography. As
shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a width of the mask 15 is greater than a
corresponding width of the first graphene electrode strip 130 and
less than the respective corresponding widths of the first
conductive contact 12 and the ZnO block 14. As such, in the region
1214, the upper surface 131 and the sidewalls of the first graphene
electrode strip 130 at the corresponding section of the first
graphene electrode strip 130 are masked by the mask 15.
[0035] With reference to FIG. 7, a second graphene electrode 16 is
positioned or laid on an upper surface 141 of the ZnO block 14 and
on the substrate surface 11 in an inherently low-temperature
process. This inherently low-temperature process can be executed
with respect to an entirety of the second graphene electrode 16 as
a process that is selected from the group of processes consisting
of a mechanical exfoliation process and a transfer process.
[0036] The second graphene electrode 16 can be initially grown on a
copper foil. Once the second graphene electrode 16 is completely
grown, the graphene surface can be coated with a layer of polymer
resist, and the copper foil can be etched with the polymer resist
providing structural support. The second graphene electrode 16 and
the polymer resist are then transferred to a water-based solution.
The second graphene electrode 16 and the polymer resist are then
removed from the water-based solution and transferred to the ZnO
block 14. The second graphene electrode 16 can be doped with either
n-type or p-type dopants.
[0037] With reference to FIG. 8, once the second graphene electrode
16 is positioned or laid onto the upper surface 141 of the ZnO
block 14 and the upper surface 11, the second graphene electrode 16
can be formed into a second graphene electrode strip 160 that
extends from the upper surface 141, along a connective section 161
thereof, which extends at an angle from the upper surface 141 to
the upper surface 11, and along an end section 162 thereof, which
extends along the upper surface 11 to an edge 111. Formation of the
second graphene electrode 16 into the second graphene electrode
strip 160 can be executed by the formation of a mask, which can
include polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resist material that is
patterned by electron-beam lithography techniques, and a subsequent
etch of sections of the second graphene electrode 16 that are
exposed by the mask. The subsequent etch can be a ME process.
Following completion of the etch process, the mask can be removed
by, for example dissolution in acetone for PMMA resist material.
The mask 15 protects the first graphene electrode strip 130 during
the processing of the second graphene electrode strip 160.
[0038] A second conductive contact 17 is then deposited on the end
section 162 of the second graphene electrode strip 160. The second
conductive contact 17 can include a material selected from the
group consisting of titanium (Ti), palladium (Pd) and gold (Au).
The second conductive contact 17 can be patterned and deposited on
the end section 162 by, for example, PMMA-based lift-off
lithography. As shown in FIG. 8, a width of the second graphene
electrode strip 160 is less than respective corresponding widths of
the first and second conductive contacts 12 and 17, the ZnO block
14 and the mask 15. Formation of the second conductive contact 17
completes a formation or assembly of photodetector 20 as a visibly
transparent, UV photodetector.
[0039] With reference to FIG. 9, an operation of the photodetector
20 is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 9, visible light of varying
wavelengths and UV light is incident on the photodetector 20. As
the substrate 10, the first and second graphene electrode strips
130 and 160 and the ZnO block 14 are all transparent to visible
light, the visible light of the varying wavelengths passes through
the photodetector 20. Conversely, because the ZnO block 14 is able
to absorb the UV light, the UV light does not pass through the
photodetector 20 and instead is used in the generation of charge
carriers that can be used in turn for the detection of UV
light.
[0040] Thus, the photodetector 20 can be incorporated into a
device, such as a sunshade, sunglasses or an optical element, that
is actuatable in the presence of UV light. Such a device could
include a processing unit which is configured to receive current
from the photodetector 20 and which is configured to determine from
that current that UV light is incident on the photodetector 20. The
device could further include a servo control unit, which is coupled
to the processing unit and which is operable by the processing unit
to take an action relative to the incident UV light in accordance
with the determination.
[0041] With reference to FIG. 10, a method of fabricating the
photodetector 20 described above is provided. As shown in FIG. 10,
the method includes laying the first graphene electrode 13 between
substrate surface 11 (block 1001), and depositing the first
conductive contact 12 on the first graphene electrode 13 proximate
to the edge 110 (block 1002). The method also includes patterning
the ZnO 14 block over an end of the first graphene electrode 13 and
proximal (i.e., nearby and surrounding) portions of the substrate
surface 11 at a distance from the first conductive contact 12
(block 1003). In some cases, the patterning of the ZnO block can be
preceded by a deposition of a seed layer to promote nucleation
(block 1004). Respective complementary sections 120 and 140 of the
first conductive contact 12 and the ZnO block 14 are then masked
(block 1005) as is the region 1214 defined between the respective
complementary sections 120 and 140 (block 1006). Next, the second
graphene electrode 16 is laid onto an unmasked section of the ZnO
block 14 with end section 162 of the second graphene electrode 16
being laid onto the substrate surface 11 (block 1007). The second
conductive contact 17 is deposited onto the end section 162 of the
second graphene electrode 16 (block 1008).
[0042] Various embodiments of the present invention are described
herein with reference to the related drawings. Alternative
embodiments can be devised without departing from the scope of this
invention. Although various connections and positional
relationships (e.g., over, below, adjacent, etc.) are set forth
between elements in the following description and in the drawings,
persons skilled in the art will recognize that many of the
positional relationships described herein are
orientation-independent when the described functionality is
maintained even though the orientation is changed. These
connections and/or positional relationships, unless specified
otherwise, can be direct or indirect, and the present invention is
not intended to be limiting in this respect. Accordingly, a
coupling of entities can refer to either a direct or an indirect
coupling, and a positional relationship between entities can be a
direct or indirect positional relationship. As an example of an
indirect positional relationship, references in the present
description to forming layer "A" over layer "B" include situations
in which one or more intermediate layers (e.g., layer "C") is
between layer "A" and layer "B" as long as the relevant
characteristics and functionalities of layer "A" and layer "B" are
not substantially changed by the intermediate layer(s).
[0043] The following definitions and abbreviations are to be used
for the interpretation of the claims and the specification. As used
herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes,"
"including," "has," "having," "contains" or "containing," or any
other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive
inclusion. For example, a composition, a mixture, process, method,
article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not
necessarily limited to only those elements but can include other
elements not expressly listed or inherent to such composition,
mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus.
[0044] Additionally, the term "exemplary" is used herein to mean
"serving as an example, instance or illustration." Any embodiment
or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be
construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or
designs. The terms "at least one" and "one or more" are understood
to include any integer number greater than or equal to one, i.e.
one, two, three, four, etc. The terms "a plurality" are understood
to include any integer number greater than or equal to two, i.e.
two, three, four, five, etc. The term "connection" can include an
indirect "connection" and a direct "connection."
[0045] References in the specification to "one embodiment," "an
embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc., indicate that the
embodiment described can include a particular feature, structure,
or characteristic, but every embodiment may or may not include the
particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such
phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.
Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is
described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it
is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such
feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other
embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
[0046] For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms
"upper," "lower," "right," "left," "vertical," "horizontal," "top,"
"bottom," and derivatives thereof shall relate to the described
structures and methods, as oriented in the drawing figures. The
terms "overlying," "atop," "on top," "positioned on" or "positioned
atop" mean that a first element, such as a first structure, is
present on a second element, such as a second structure, wherein
intervening elements such as an interface structure can be present
between the first element and the second element. The term "direct
contact" means that a first element, such as a first structure, and
a second element, such as a second structure, are connected without
any intermediary conducting, insulating or semiconductor layers at
the interface of the two elements.
[0047] Spatially relative terms, e.g., "beneath," "below," "lower,"
"above," "upper," and the like, can be used herein for ease of
description to describe one element or feature's relationship to
another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It
will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended
to encompass different orientations of the device in use or
operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements
described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would
then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the
term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below.
The device can be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at
other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used
herein interpreted accordingly.
[0048] The phrase "selective to," such as, for example, "a first
element selective to a second element," means that the first
element can be etched and the second element can act as an etch
stop.
[0049] The terms "about," "substantially," "approximately," and
variations thereof, are intended to include the degree of error
associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon
the equipment available at the time of filing the application. For
example, "about" can include a range of .+-.8% or 5%, or 2% of a
given value.
[0050] The term "conformal" (e.g., a conformal layer) means that
the thickness of the layer is substantially the same on all
surfaces, or that the thickness variation is less than 15% of the
nominal thickness of the layer.
[0051] The terms "epitaxial growth and/or deposition" and
"epitaxially formed and/or grown" mean the growth of a
semiconductor material (crystalline material) on a deposition
surface of another semiconductor material (crystalline material),
in which the semiconductor material being grown (crystalline
overlayer) has substantially the same crystalline characteristics
as the semiconductor material of the deposition surface (seed
material). In an epitaxial deposition process, the chemical
reactants provided by the source gases can be controlled and the
system parameters can be set so that the depositing atoms arrive at
the deposition surface of the semiconductor substrate with
sufficient energy to move about on the surface such that the
depositing atoms orient themselves to the crystal arrangement of
the atoms of the deposition surface. An epitaxially grown
semiconductor material can have substantially the same crystalline
characteristics as the deposition surface on which the epitaxially
grown material is formed. For example, an epitaxially grown
semiconductor material deposited on a {100} orientated crystalline
surface can take on a {100} orientation. In some embodiments of the
invention, epitaxial growth and/or deposition processes can be
selective to forming on semiconductor surface, and cannot deposit
material on exposed surfaces, such as silicon dioxide or silicon
nitride surfaces.
[0052] As previously noted herein, for the sake of brevity,
conventional techniques related to semiconductor device, integrated
circuit (IC) fabrication and photodetector fabrication may or may
not be described in detail herein. By way of background, however, a
more general description of the semiconductor device, IC or
photodetector fabrication processes that can be utilized in
implementing one or more embodiments of the present invention will
now be provided. Although specific fabrication operations used in
implementing one or more embodiments of the present invention can
be individually known, the described combination of operations
and/or resulting structures of the present invention are unique.
Thus, the unique combination of the operations described in
connection with the fabrication of a semiconductor device, an IC or
a photodetector according to the present invention utilize a
variety of individually known physical and chemical processes
performed on a semiconductor (e.g., silicon), glass or plastic
substrate, some of which are described in the immediately following
paragraphs.
[0053] In general, the various processes used to form
semiconductor-based devices (e.g., a photodetector) fall into four
general categories, namely, film deposition, removal/etching,
semiconductor doping and patterning/lithography. Deposition is any
process that grows, coats, or otherwise transfers a material onto
the wafer. Available technologies include physical vapor deposition
(PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), electrochemical deposition
(ECD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and more recently, atomic layer
deposition (ALD) among others. Removal/etching is any process that
removes material from the wafer. Examples include etch processes
(either wet or dry), and chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP),
and the like. Semiconductor doping is the modification of
electrical properties by doping, for example, transistor sources
and drains, generally by diffusion and/or by ion implantation.
These doping processes are followed by furnace annealing or by
rapid thermal annealing (RTA). Annealing serves to activate the
implanted dopants. Films of both conductors (e.g., poly-silicon,
aluminum, copper, etc.) and insulators (e.g., various forms of
silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, etc.) are used to connect and
isolate transistors and their components. Selective doping of
various regions of the semiconductor substrate allows the
conductivity of the substrate to be changed with the application of
voltage. By creating structures of these various components,
millions of transistors can be built and wired together to form the
complex circuitry of a modern microelectronic device. Semiconductor
lithography is the formation of three-dimensional relief images or
patterns on the semiconductor substrate for subsequent transfer of
the pattern to the substrate. In semiconductor lithography, the
patterns are formed by a light sensitive polymer called a
photo-resist. To build the complex structures that make up a
transistor and the many wires that connect the millions of
transistors of a circuit, lithography and etch pattern transfer
steps are repeated multiple times. Each pattern being printed on
the wafer is aligned to the previously formed patterns and slowly
the conductors, insulators and selectively doped regions are built
up to form the final device.
[0054] The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate
possible implementations of fabrication and/or operation methods
according to various embodiments of the present invention. Various
functions/operations of the method are represented in the flow
diagram by blocks. In some alternative implementations, the
functions noted in the blocks can occur out of the order noted in
the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession can, in
fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks can
sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the
functionality involved.
[0055] The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present
invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are
not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments
described. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to
those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope
and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used
herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the
embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement
over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of
ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments described
herein.
* * * * *