Semiconductor surface modification
Methods, systems, and devices associated with surface modifying a semiconductor material are taught. One such method includes providing a semiconductor material having a target region and providing a dopant fluid layer that is adjacent to the target region of the semiconductor material, where the dopant fluid layer includes at least one dopant. The target region of the semiconductor material is lased so as to incorporate the dopant or to surface modify the semiconductor material. During the surface modification, the dopant in the dopant fluid layer is actively replenished.
1. A method for surface modifying a semiconductor material, comprising:
providing a semiconductor material having a target region;
providing a barrier fluid layer adjacent to the target region of the semiconductor material;
providing a dopant fluid layer disposed between the semiconductor material and the barrier fluid layer; and
lasing the target region of the semiconductor material through the barrier fluid layer to surface modify the target region of the semiconductor material, wherein the lasing is performed in an enclosure that is devoid of a cover and with a laser pulse duration of between about 50 femtoseconds and about 50 picoseconds.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising actively replenishing the barrier fluid layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of group IV materials, group II-VI materials, group III-V materials, and combinations thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor material is silicon.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dopant fluid layer includes a member selected from the group consisting of sulfur containing fluids, fluorine containing fluids, boron containing fluids, phosphorous containing fluids, chlorine containing fluids, arsenic containing fluids, antimony containing fluids, and mixtures thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dopant fluid includes a member selected from the group consisting of H2S, SF6, Se, Te, and combinations thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising actively replenishing the dopant fluid layer to maintain the concentration of the dopant in the dopant fluid layer in a predetermined range.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising actively drawing a portion of the dopant fluid layer away from the target region of the semiconductor material.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising regulating the active drawing of the dopant fluid away from the target region by measuring the dopant concentration or by measuring a contaminant in the dopant fluid layer.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lasing of the target region is performed at about room pressure.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the barrier fluid layer is comprised of a member selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, neon, helium, and mixtures thereof.