US2791524A - Fabrication method for p-n junctions - Google Patents
Fabrication method for p-n junctions Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US2791524A US2791524A US346662A US34666253A US2791524A US 2791524 A US2791524 A US 2791524A US 346662 A US346662 A US 346662A US 34666253 A US34666253 A US 34666253A US 2791524 A US2791524 A US 2791524A
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
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- indium
- cavity
- semiconductor
- fabrication method
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title description 6
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title description 5
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 15
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 description 15
- 229910052738 indium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 9
- APFVFJFRJDLVQX-UHFFFAOYSA-N indium atom Chemical compound [In] APFVFJFRJDLVQX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 9
- 239000012768 molten material Substances 0.000 description 7
- 230000035515 penetration Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000011819 refractory material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000011149 active material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910052732 germanium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- GNPVGFCGXDBREM-UHFFFAOYSA-N germanium atom Chemical compound [Ge] GNPVGFCGXDBREM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 230000004927 fusion Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000155 melt Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007499 fusion processing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003825 pressing Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22F—CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS
- C22F3/00—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by special physical methods, e.g. treatment with neutrons
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
- H01L21/18—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table or AIIIBV compounds with or without impurities, e.g. doping materials
- H01L21/24—Alloying of impurity materials, e.g. doping materials, electrode materials, with a semiconductor body
Definitions
- This invention relates to a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices having predetermined uniform operating characteristics.
- semiconductor devices can be made by heating a quantity of acceptor or donor meterial in contact with a body of semiconductor material.
- an acceptor material such as indium
- a semiconductor material such as N-type germanium
- This fusion or diffusion process of making semiconductor devices is more fully described and is claimed in copending Hall application, Serial No. 187,478, tiled September 29, 1950, and assigned to the assignee of this application.
- the depth of penetration depends on the duration and temperature of the heating process, the amount of indium and upon the size of the area attacked. Thus if the indium spreads out over a wide area, the depth of the penetration is less than if the indium spreads out over a small area.
- This objective may be attained by restricting and accurately positioning the area of the semiconductor material attacked by the electrically active material.
- a body 2 of refractory material or other material that remains substantially inert at the temperature of the fusion of the electrically active material is placed against a block 4 of semiconductor material in such manner that any impurity material placed in the cavity 6 within the body 2 does not escape when it melts except by dissolving the portion of the block 4 at the bottom of the cavity. If the block 4 is in a horizontal position, it is not necessary to cover the top of the cavity 6, but if not, a piston 8, also made of refractory material,
- the piston 8 can be made to exert a nearly constant pressure on the molten material in the cavity by the insertion of a compression spring 11 that is inserted between the outer end 10 of the piston 8 and the inside of a cover 12 that is secured to the body 2 of refractory material. It is apparent that the position of the area A may be accurately determined by moving the body of refractory material.
- the surface of contact A between the molten material and the block 4 of semiconductor material is determined by the cross sectional area of the cavity 6.
- the molten material penetrates the semiconductor body 4 and lies within a zone defined by a surface 14.
- the total volume between the surface 14 and the surface A depends on the temperature of the melt, the amount of molten material within the cavity 6 and the duration of the heat application.
- the method of making a semiconductor device comprising the steps of placing a mask of inert material against a body of semiconductor material so as to be in close contact with the surface thereof, the mask delining a restricted surface area, placing a material selected from the class of donor and acceptor materials within said area, applying heat so as to melt said material and cause it to penetrate the body of semiconductor material, applying pressure to said molten material within the mask so as to overcome the surface tension of the molten material and cause it to act on substantially all portions of the body of semiconductor material exposed within said mask, and removing said mask after the molten material has cooled.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Metallurgy (AREA)
- Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Electrodes Of Semiconductors (AREA)
- Liquid Deposition Of Substances Of Which Semiconductor Devices Are Composed (AREA)
Description
May 7, 1957 v. ozARow FABRICATION METHOD FOR P-N JuNc'rIoNs Filed April s. 195:5
United States Patent O FABRICATION METHOD FOR P-N JUNCTIONS Vernon Ozarow, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application April 3, 1953, Serial No. 346,662
1 Claim. (Cl. 14S- 1.5)
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices having predetermined uniform operating characteristics.
lt has been proposed that semiconductor devices can be made by heating a quantity of acceptor or donor meterial in contact with a body of semiconductor material. For example, an acceptor material such as indium and a semiconductor material such as N-type germanium may be used. During this process the indium spreads over an area of the germanium and penetrates into the germanium. This fusion or diffusion process of making semiconductor devices is more fully described and is claimed in copending Hall application, Serial No. 187,478, tiled September 29, 1950, and assigned to the assignee of this application. The depth of penetration depends on the duration and temperature of the heating process, the amount of indium and upon the size of the area attacked. Thus if the indium spreads out over a wide area, the depth of the penetration is less than if the indium spreads out over a small area.
For reasons well known to those skilled in the art, factors including the extent, shape and position of the area attacked by the indium and the depth of penetration may have a marked effect on the operating characteristics of a semiconductor device.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method of manufacturing semiconductor devices in such manner as to control the factors noted above.
This objective may be attained by restricting and accurately positioning the area of the semiconductor material attacked by the electrically active material.
The manner in which these objectives may be attained may be more clearly understood after the following detailed consideration of the drawing which illustrates one of many possible ways in which the area of contact can be controlled in accordance with the principles of this invention. A body 2 of refractory material or other material that remains substantially inert at the temperature of the fusion of the electrically active material is placed against a block 4 of semiconductor material in such manner that any impurity material placed in the cavity 6 within the body 2 does not escape when it melts except by dissolving the portion of the block 4 at the bottom of the cavity. If the block 4 is in a horizontal position, it is not necessary to cover the top of the cavity 6, but if not, a piston 8, also made of refractory material,
ice
may be inserted into the cavity 6. The piston 8 can be made to exert a nearly constant pressure on the molten material in the cavity by the insertion of a compression spring 11 that is inserted between the outer end 10 of the piston 8 and the inside of a cover 12 that is secured to the body 2 of refractory material. It is apparent that the position of the area A may be accurately determined by moving the body of refractory material.
Some active materials like indium tend to draw up into a ball due to surface tension and, therefore, do not attack all of the surface A at the bottom of the cavity 6. However, application of pressure to the molten indium by the piston 8 overcomes the surface tension and causes the indium to attack substantially all of the surface A from the very beginning of the process. This insures more uniform penetration at all points of the surface. It is not necessary that the cover completely enclose the piston. Two such devices are shown but only one need be used if a diode is being manufactured.
The surface of contact A between the molten material and the block 4 of semiconductor material is determined by the cross sectional area of the cavity 6. The molten material penetrates the semiconductor body 4 and lies within a zone defined by a surface 14. The total volume between the surface 14 and the surface A depends on the temperature of the melt, the amount of molten material within the cavity 6 and the duration of the heat application.
While l have illustrated a particular embodiment of my invention, it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since various modifications both in the circuit arrangement and in the instrumentalities may be made, and I contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:
The method of making a semiconductor device comprising the steps of placing a mask of inert material against a body of semiconductor material so as to be in close contact with the surface thereof, the mask delining a restricted surface area, placing a material selected from the class of donor and acceptor materials within said area, applying heat so as to melt said material and cause it to penetrate the body of semiconductor material, applying pressure to said molten material within the mask so as to overcome the surface tension of the molten material and cause it to act on substantially all portions of the body of semiconductor material exposed within said mask, and removing said mask after the molten material has cooled.
References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,402,950 Culver July 2, 1946 2,518,253 Reis Aug. 8, 1950 2,561,579 Lenel July 24, 1951 2,597,028 Pfann May 20, 1952 2,612,443 Goetzel Sept. 30, 1952 2,629,672 Sparl Feb. 24, 1953
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US346662A US2791524A (en) | 1953-04-03 | 1953-04-03 | Fabrication method for p-n junctions |
FR66185D FR66185E (en) | 1950-09-29 | 1954-04-02 | Method for preparing devices using transition layers between semiconductors of types p and n |
GB9947/54A GB751143A (en) | 1953-04-03 | 1954-04-05 | Improvements relating to the manufacture of semi-conductor devices |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US346662A US2791524A (en) | 1953-04-03 | 1953-04-03 | Fabrication method for p-n junctions |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US2791524A true US2791524A (en) | 1957-05-07 |
Family
ID=23360467
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US346662A Expired - Lifetime US2791524A (en) | 1950-09-29 | 1953-04-03 | Fabrication method for p-n junctions |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US2791524A (en) |
GB (1) | GB751143A (en) |
Cited By (15)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2893901A (en) * | 1957-01-28 | 1959-07-07 | Sprague Electric Co | Semiconductor junction |
DE1067935B (en) * | 1958-01-17 | 1959-10-29 | ||
US2931743A (en) * | 1955-05-02 | 1960-04-05 | Philco Corp | Method of fusing metal body to another body |
US2942568A (en) * | 1954-10-15 | 1960-06-28 | Sylvania Electric Prod | Manufacture of junction transistors |
US2960418A (en) * | 1954-06-29 | 1960-11-15 | Gen Electric | Semiconductor device and method for fabricating same |
US2960419A (en) * | 1956-02-08 | 1960-11-15 | Siemens Ag | Method and device for producing electric semiconductor devices |
DE1108813B (en) * | 1959-10-22 | 1961-06-15 | Eberle & Koehler K G | Process for the production of large-area blocking and blocking-free contacts on semiconductor bodies |
US2994627A (en) * | 1957-05-08 | 1961-08-01 | Gen Motors Corp | Manufacture of semiconductor devices |
US3009840A (en) * | 1958-02-04 | 1961-11-21 | Siemens Ag | Method of producing a semiconductor device of the junction type |
US3012916A (en) * | 1957-10-22 | 1961-12-12 | Bendix Corp | Semiconductor device |
US3036937A (en) * | 1957-12-26 | 1962-05-29 | Sylvania Electric Prod | Method for manufacturing alloyed junction semiconductor devices |
US3068127A (en) * | 1959-06-02 | 1962-12-11 | Siemens Ag | Method of producing a highly doped p-type zone and an appertaining contact on a semiconductor crystal |
US3135232A (en) * | 1958-06-18 | 1964-06-02 | A & M Fell Ltd | Manufacture of transistors, rectifiers and the like |
US3171175A (en) * | 1958-09-11 | 1965-03-02 | Fidelitone Inc | Method of bonding a stylus tip |
US3176376A (en) * | 1958-04-24 | 1965-04-06 | Motorola Inc | Method of making semiconductor device |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE1175364B (en) * | 1961-10-24 | 1964-08-06 | Telefunken Patent | Alloy process for the manufacture of semiconductor devices |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2402950A (en) * | 1943-04-13 | 1946-07-02 | Merlyn M Culver | Molded part and method of forming same |
US2518253A (en) * | 1949-04-14 | 1950-08-08 | American Measuring Instr Corp | Metallic sealing ring |
US2561579A (en) * | 1947-10-02 | 1951-07-24 | Gen Motors Corp | Impregnated ferrous gear |
US2597028A (en) * | 1949-11-30 | 1952-05-20 | Bell Telephone Labor Inc | Semiconductor signal translating device |
US2612443A (en) * | 1947-12-26 | 1952-09-30 | Sintereast Corp Of America | Powder metallurgy |
US2629672A (en) * | 1949-07-07 | 1953-02-24 | Bell Telephone Labor Inc | Method of making semiconductive translating devices |
-
1953
- 1953-04-03 US US346662A patent/US2791524A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1954
- 1954-04-05 GB GB9947/54A patent/GB751143A/en not_active Expired
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2402950A (en) * | 1943-04-13 | 1946-07-02 | Merlyn M Culver | Molded part and method of forming same |
US2561579A (en) * | 1947-10-02 | 1951-07-24 | Gen Motors Corp | Impregnated ferrous gear |
US2612443A (en) * | 1947-12-26 | 1952-09-30 | Sintereast Corp Of America | Powder metallurgy |
US2518253A (en) * | 1949-04-14 | 1950-08-08 | American Measuring Instr Corp | Metallic sealing ring |
US2629672A (en) * | 1949-07-07 | 1953-02-24 | Bell Telephone Labor Inc | Method of making semiconductive translating devices |
US2597028A (en) * | 1949-11-30 | 1952-05-20 | Bell Telephone Labor Inc | Semiconductor signal translating device |
Cited By (15)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2960418A (en) * | 1954-06-29 | 1960-11-15 | Gen Electric | Semiconductor device and method for fabricating same |
US2942568A (en) * | 1954-10-15 | 1960-06-28 | Sylvania Electric Prod | Manufacture of junction transistors |
US2931743A (en) * | 1955-05-02 | 1960-04-05 | Philco Corp | Method of fusing metal body to another body |
US2960419A (en) * | 1956-02-08 | 1960-11-15 | Siemens Ag | Method and device for producing electric semiconductor devices |
US2893901A (en) * | 1957-01-28 | 1959-07-07 | Sprague Electric Co | Semiconductor junction |
US2994627A (en) * | 1957-05-08 | 1961-08-01 | Gen Motors Corp | Manufacture of semiconductor devices |
US3012916A (en) * | 1957-10-22 | 1961-12-12 | Bendix Corp | Semiconductor device |
US3036937A (en) * | 1957-12-26 | 1962-05-29 | Sylvania Electric Prod | Method for manufacturing alloyed junction semiconductor devices |
DE1067935B (en) * | 1958-01-17 | 1959-10-29 | ||
US3009840A (en) * | 1958-02-04 | 1961-11-21 | Siemens Ag | Method of producing a semiconductor device of the junction type |
US3176376A (en) * | 1958-04-24 | 1965-04-06 | Motorola Inc | Method of making semiconductor device |
US3135232A (en) * | 1958-06-18 | 1964-06-02 | A & M Fell Ltd | Manufacture of transistors, rectifiers and the like |
US3171175A (en) * | 1958-09-11 | 1965-03-02 | Fidelitone Inc | Method of bonding a stylus tip |
US3068127A (en) * | 1959-06-02 | 1962-12-11 | Siemens Ag | Method of producing a highly doped p-type zone and an appertaining contact on a semiconductor crystal |
DE1108813B (en) * | 1959-10-22 | 1961-06-15 | Eberle & Koehler K G | Process for the production of large-area blocking and blocking-free contacts on semiconductor bodies |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB751143A (en) | 1956-06-27 |
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