IP Library Granted Patent US 8,394,658
Granted Patent B2
US 8,394,658 · App. 13/238,252 · Granted Mar 12, 2013

Methods of using a silicon nanoparticle fluid to control in situ a set of dopant diffusion profiles

Inventors: Giuseppe Scardera (Sunnyvale, CA); Dmitry Poplavskyy (San Jose, CA); Michael Burrows (Cupertino, CA); Sunil Shah (Union City, CA)
Assignee: Innovalight, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,394,658
App. No.
13/238,252
Granted
Mar 12, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are methods of forming multi-doped junctions, which utilize a nanoparticle ink to form an ink pattern on a surface of a substrate. From the ink pattern, a densified film ink pattern can be formed. The disclosed methods may allow in situ controlling of dopant diffusion profiles.

Claims (45)

1. A method of forming a multi-doped junction on a substrate, comprising:

providing the substrate doped with phosphorous atoms, the substrate comprising a front substrate surface;

depositing an ink on the front substrate surface in a ink pattern, the ink consisting essentially of a set of undoped nanoparticles and a set of solvents;

heating the substrate in a baking ambient to a first temperature and for a first time period in order to create a densified film ink pattern;

exposing the substrate to a dopant source in a diffusion furnace with a deposition ambient, the deposition ambient comprising BBr 3 , a carrier N 2 gas, a main N 2 gas, and a reactive O 2 gas at a second temperature and for a second time period, wherein a first BSG layer with a first boron amount is formed on the front substrate surface and a second BSG layer with a second boron amount is formed on the densified film ink pattern, and wherein the second boron amount is substantially greater than the first boron amount; and

heating the substrate in a drive-in ambient to a third temperature;

wherein a first diffused region with a first sheet resistance is formed under the front substrate surface covered by the densified film ink pattern, and a second diffused region with a second sheet resistance is formed under the front substrate surface not covered with the densified ink pattern, and

wherein the first sheet resistance is substantially smaller than the second sheet resistance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is between about 200° C. and about 800° C. and the first time period is between about 3 minutes and about 20 mimutes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the carrier N 2 gas to the reactive O 2 gas is between about 1:1 to about 1.5:1, the second temperature is between about 700° C. and about 1000° C., and the second time period of about 5 minutes and about 35 minutes.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third temperature is between about 800° C. and about 1100° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is between about 200° C. and about 800° C. and the first time period is between about 3 minutes and about 8 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is between about 725° C. and about 825° C., and the second time period is between about 10 minutes and about 35 minutes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is between about 750° C. and about 850° C., and the second time period is between about 10 minutes and about 30 minutes.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is about 800° C. and the second time period is about 20 minutes.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third temperature is between about 875° C. and about 1000° C.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third temperature is between about 850° C. and about 1050° C.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third temperature is about 900° C.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of heating the substrate to the third temperature is carried out at a third time period is between about 15 minutes and about 30 minutes.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 20 Ohm/sq and about 70 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 80 Ohm/sq and about 140 Ohm/sq.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 30 Ohm/sq and about 60 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 90 Ohm/sq and about 120 Ohm/sq.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 30 Ohm/sq and about 50 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 100 Ohm/sq and about 110 Ohm/sq.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baking ambient is one of an inert ambient and an oxidizing ambient.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drive in ambient is one of an inert ambient and an oxidizing ambient.

18. A method of forming a multi-doped junction on a substrate, comprising:

providing the substrate doped with phosphorous atoms, the substrate comprising a front, substrate surface;

depositing an ink on the front substrate surface in a ink pattern, the ink consisting essentially of a set of undoped nanoparticles and a set of solvents;

heating the substrate in a baking ambient to a first temperature of between about 200° C. and about 800° C. and for a first time period of between about 3 minutes and about 20 minutes in order to create a densified film ink pattern;

exposing the substrate to a dopant source in a diffusion furnace with a deposition ambient, the deposition ambient comprising BBr 3 , a carrier N 2 gas, a main N 2 gas, and a reactive O 2 gas, wherein a ratio of the carrier N 2 gas and the reactive O 2 gas is between about 1.5:1 to about 2:1, at a second temperature of between about 725° C. and about 825° C. and for a second time period of about 10 minutes to about 25 minutes, wherein a first BSG layer with a first boron amount is formed on the front substrate surface and a second BSG layer with a second boron amount is formed on the densified film ink pattern, and wherein the second boron amount is substantially greater than the first boron amount; and

exposing the substrate in a drive-in ambient to a third temperature of between about 825° C. and about 875° C. for between about 10 minutes to about 20 minutes;

wherein a first diffused region with a first sheet resistance is formed under the front substrate surface covered by the ink pattern, and a second diffused region with a second sheet resistance is formed under the front substrate surface not covered with the ink pattern, and wherein the first sheet resistance is substantially greater than the second sheet resistance.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the baking ambient is one of an inert ambient and an oxidizing ambient.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the drive-in ambient is one of an inert ambient and an oxidizing ambient.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 80 Ohm/sq and about 140 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 20 Ohm/sq and about 70 Ohm/sq.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 90 Ohm/sq and about 120 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 30 Ohm/sq and 60 Ohm/sq.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 100 Ohm/sq and about 110 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 30 Ohm/sq and 50 Ohm/sq.

24. A method of forming a multi-doped junction on a substrate, comprising:

providing the substrate doped with phosphor, the substrate comprising a front substrate surface;

depositing an ink on the front substrate surface in a ink pattern, the ink consisting essentially of a set of undoped nanoparticles and a set of solvents;

heating the substrate in a baking ambient to a first temperature of between about 200° C. and about 800° C. and for a first time period of between about 3 minutes and about 20 minutes in order to create a densified film ink pattern; and

exposing the substrate to a dopant source in a diffusion furnace with a deposition/drive-in ambient of BBr 3 , a carrier N 2 gas, a main N 2 gas, and a reactive O 2 gas, wherein a ratio of the carrier N 2 gas and the reactive O 2 gas, wherein the carrier N 2 gas and the reactive O 2 gas have a ratio of about 1:1 to about 1.5:1 at a second temperature of between about 850° C. and about 900° C., and for a second time period of about 20 minutes and about 35 minutes, wherein a first BSG layer with a first boron amount is formed on the front substrate surface and a second BSG layer with a second boron amount is formed on the densified film ink pattern, and wherein the second boron amount is substantially greater than the first boron amount;

wherein a first diffused region with at first sheet resistance is formed under the front substrate surface covered by the ink pattern, and a second diffused region with a second sheet resistance is formed under the front substrate surface not covered with the ink pattern, and wherein the first sheet resistance is substantially less than the second sheet resistance.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 80 Ohm/sq and about 140 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 20 Ohm/sq and about 70 Ohm/sq.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 90 Ohm/sq and about 120 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 30 and 60 Ohm/sq.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the first sheet resistance is between about 100 Ohm/sq and about 110 Ohm/sq and the second sheet resistance is between about 30 Ohm/sq and 50 Ohm/sq.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2021
From: DUPONT ELECTRONICS, INC.
To: SOLAR PASTE, LLC
Reel/Frame 055766/0478 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 11, 2020
From: INNOVALIGHT, INC.
To: DUPONT ELECTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 054333/0737 →
Continuity (3)
Division 12506811 · Jul 21, 2009
Provisional Application 61222628 · Jul 2, 2009
Related Publication 20120052665A1 · Mar 1, 2012