Rare earth-oxides, rare earth-nitrides, rare earth-phosphides and ternary alloys with silicon
Atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) is applied to the fabrication of new forms of rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides. Further, ternary compounds composed of binary (rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides) mixed with silicon and or germanium to form compound semiconductors of the formula RE-(O, N, P)—(Si,Ge) are also disclosed, where RE=at least one selection from group of rare-earth metals, O=oxygen, N=nitrogen, P=phosphorus, Si=silicon and Ge=germanium. The presented ALE growth technique and material system can be applied to silicon electronics, opto-electronic, magneto-electronics and magneto-optics devices.
1. A method of deposition of semiconductors, comprising:
providing a substrate;
epitaxially depositing on the substrate a composition selected from at least one of:
(1) a rare-earth oxide of the formula: [RE] x [O] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 3, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(2) a binary single-crystal rare-earth nitride of the formula: RE x N y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(3) a binary single-crystal rare-earth phosphide of the formula: RE x P y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one rare-earth metal atom;
(4) a rare-earth oxy-nitride ternary of the formula: [RE] x [O 1-z N z ] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than 3 and z is greater or equal to zero and less than equal to 1, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(5) a silicon rare-earth oxide, nitride, phosphide ternary or quaternary alloy of the formula: [(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][Si or Ge or SiGe] z , where x, y and z are real positive numbers less than or equal to 5, RE is at least one rare-earth metal;
(6) a ternary alloy of a non rare-earth atom with either rare-earth oxide, rare-earth nitride or rare-earth phosphide of the formula: [(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][M] z , where RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal, M is a non-rare-earth, x, y and z individually take values ranging from real positive number less than or equal to 5; and
wherein a majority of the composition is single crystal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition has an arrangement of atoms with a substantially single ordered structure.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is non-polycrystalline.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is non-amorphous.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of the composition is single crystal.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 95% of the composition is single crystal.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 99% of the composition is single crystal.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises at least a single crystal layer of silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium alloy.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one or more layers of single crystal silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium alloy are deposited in a predetermined, sequential fashion with one or more single crystal layers of a composition selected from at least one of:
(1) a rare-earth oxide of the formula: [RE] x [O] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 3, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(2) a binary single-crystal rare-earth nitride of the formula: RE x N y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(3) a binary single-crystal rare-earth phosphide of the formula: RE x P y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one rare-earth metal atom;
(4) a rare-earth oxy-nitride ternary of the formula: [RE] x [O 1-z N z ] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than 3 and z is greater or equal to zero and less than equal to 1, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(5) a silicon rare-earth oxide, nitride, phosphide ternary or quaternary alloy of the formula:
[(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][Si or Ge or SiGe] z , where x, y and z are real positive numbers less than or equal to 5, RE is at least one rare-earth metal;
(6) a ternary alloy of a non rare-earth atom with either rare-earth oxide, rare-earth nitride or rare-earth phosphide of the formula: [(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][M] z , where RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal, M is a non-rare-earth, x, y and z individually take values ranging from real positive numbers less than or equal to 5; and
(7) [RE.sub.1, RE.sub.2, . . . RE.sub.3].sub.x[O or N or P].sub.y, where x and y are real.
10. A method of deposition of semiconductors, comprising:
providing a substrate comprising at least one of silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium alloy, GaAs, InP, SiC and Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 or ceramic; and depositing on the substrate at least one single crystal layer of a composition selected from at least two different compositions of:
(1) a rare-earth oxide of the formula: [RE] x [O] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 3, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(2) a binary single-crystal rare-earth nitride of the formula: RE x N y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(3) a binary single-crystal rare-earth phosphide of the formula: RE x P y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one rare-earth metal atom;
(4) a rare-earth oxy-nitride ternary of the formula: [RE] x [O 1-z N z ] y ,where x and y are real positive numbers less than 3 and z is greater or equal to zero and less than equal to 1, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(5) a silicon rare-earth oxide, nitride, phosphide ternary or quaternary alloy of the formula:
[(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][Si or Ge or SiGe] z , where x, y and z are real positive numbers less than or equal to 5, RE is at least one rare-earth metal;
(6) a ternary alloy of a non rare-earth atom with either rare-earth oxide, rare-earth nitride or rare-earth phosphide of the formula: [(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][M] z , where RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal, M is a non-rare-earth, x, y and z individually take values ranging from real positive numbers less than or equal to 5; and
(7) [RE.sub.1, RE.sub.2, . . . RE.sub.3].sub.x[O or N or P].sub.y, where x and y are real.
(8) silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium alloy, GaAs, InP, SiC and Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 or ceramic.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising depositing at least one or more layers of single crystal silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium alloy in a predetermined, sequential fashion with one or more single crystal layers of a composition selected from at least one of:
(1) a rare-earth oxide of the formula: [RE] x [O] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 3, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(2) a binary single-crystal rare-earth nitride of the formula: RE x N y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2 , RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(3) a binary singe-crystal rare-earth phosphide of the formula: RE x P y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one rare-earth metal atom;
(4) a rare-earth oxy-nitride ternary of the formula: [RE] x [O 1-z N z ] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than 3 and z is greater or equal to zero and less than equal to 1, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(5) a silicon rare-earth oxide, nitride, phosphide ternary or quaternary alloy of the formula:
[(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][Si or Ge or SiGe] z , where x, y and z are real positive numbers less than or equal to 5, RE is at least one rare-earth metal;
(6) a ternary alloy of a non rare-earth atom with either rare-earth oxide, rare-earth nitride or rare-earth phosphide of the formula: [(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][M] z , where RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal, M is a non-rare-earth, x, y and z individually take values ranging from real positive numbers less than or equal to 5;
(7) [RE.sub.1, RE.sub.2, . . . RE.sub.3].sub.x[O or N or P].sub.y, where x and y are real; and
8) and at least one additional layer.
12. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device structure comprising:
providing a substrate comprising at least one single crystal layer chosen from a group comprising silicon, germanium and silicon-germanium alloy, GaAs, InP, SiC and Al 2 O3; and
depositing in a predetermined, sequential fashion at least one or more layers of single crystal structure of a composition selected from at least two different compositions of:
(1) a rare-earth oxide of the formula: [RE] x [O] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 3, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(2) a binary single-crystal rare-earth nitride of the formula: RE x N y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(3) a binary single-crystal rare-earth phosphide of the formula: RE x P y where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one rare-earth metal atom;
(4) a rare-earth oxy-nitride ternary of the formula: [RE] x [O 1-z N z ] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than 3 and z is greater or equal to zero and less than equal to 1, RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal atom;
(5) a silicon rare-earth oxide, nitride, phosphide ternary or quatemary alloy of the formula:
[(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][Si or Ge or SiGe] z , where x, y and z are real positive numbers less than or equal to 5, RE is at least one rare-earth metal;
(6) a ternary alloy of a non rare-earth atom with either rare-earth oxide, rare-earth nitride or rare-earth phosphide of the formula: [(RE) x (O or N or P) y ][M] z , where RE is at least one type of rare-earth metal, M is a non-rare-earth, x, y and z individually take 5 values ranging from real positive numbers less than or equal to 5;
(7) [RE.sub.1, RE.sub.2, . . . RE.sub.3].sub.x[O or N or P].sub.y, where x and y are real; and
(8) silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium alloy, GaAs, InP, SiC, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 and ceramic.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the semiconductor device stracture comprises at least one of chosen from a group comprising integrated electronic devices, passive photonic devices, photonic devices, electro-optical devices, magneto-optical devices and magneto-electronic devices.
14. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit structure comprising:
providing a substrate comprising at least one single crystal layer chosen from a group comprising silicon, germanium and silicon—germanium alloy, GaAs, InP, SiC and Al 2 O3; and
depositing in a predetermined, sequential fashion at least two or more layers of single crystal structure of a composition selected from at least two different composition of:
(1) a rare—earth oxide of the formula: [RE] x [O] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 3, RE is at least one type of rare—earth metal atom;
(2) a binary single-crystal rare—earth nitride of the formula: RE x N y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than or equal to 2, RE is at least one type of rare—earth metal atom;
(3) a rare—earth oxy—nitride ternary of the formula: [RE] x [O 1—z N z ] y , where x and y are real positive numbers less than 3 and z is greater or equal to zero and less than equal to 1, RE is at least one type of rare—earth metal atom;
(5) a silicon rare—earth oxide, nitride, ternary or quarternary alloy of the formula: [(RE) x (O or N) y ] [Si or Ge or SiGe] z , where x, y and z are real positive numbers less than or equal to 5, RE is at least one rare—earth metal;
(6) a ternary alloy of a non rare—earth atom with either rare—earth oxide, rare—earth nitride of the formula: [(RE) x (O or N) y ] [M] z , where RE is at least one type of rare—earth metal,M is a non—rare—earth, x, y and z, individually take values ranging from real positive numbers less than or equal to 5;
(7) [RE.sub.1, RE.sub.2, . . . RE.sub.3].sub.x[O or N].sub.y, where x and y are real; and
(8) silicon, germanium, silicon—germanium alloy.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the integrated circuit structure comprises at least a portion of one single crystal layer of one orientation and at least a portion of a second single crystal layer of a second orientation.