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Primary Examiner: Smith, John D.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Dworetsky; Samuel H.

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Title: Controlling the properties of native films using selective growth chemistry

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Claims: I claim:

1. A method of growing a native film on a compound semiconductor comprising

exposing a compound semiconductor to at least one first reactant which reacts preferentially with at least one of the compound semiconductor constituents to grow a native film, the invention CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the compound semiconductor is additionally exposed to at least one second reactant, which reacts preferentially with at least one compound semiconductor constituent which does not react preferentially with the first reactant, and in that the reactants are introduced into a plasma which comprises a reaction causing environment, thereby yielding a film with improved stoichiometry.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first reactant comprises oxygen and the native film thereby grown is an oxide film.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the plasma is magnetically confined.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the plasma comprises an oxygen plasma.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the compound semiconductor is gallium arsenide.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second reactant comprises fluorine.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second reactant comprises CF.sub.4 gas added to the oxygen plasma.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the CF.sub.4 /O.sub.2 ratio is between 0.1 and 3.

9. The method of claim 12 wherein subsequent to the native film growth, the film is thermally annealed in an environment comprising hydrogen and nitrogen.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the second reactant reacts with at least one of the compound semiconductor constituents and becomes incorporated into the resulting film.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the second reactant preferentially reacts with at least one of the compound semiconductor constituents forming a volatile constituent which subsequently leaves the substrate.

12. A method of growing a native film comprising forming an oxygen plasma at a background pressure of less than 9.times.10.sup.-3 torr using a pair of RF electrodes;

driving the electrodes in approximate balance at the same dc potential, at a power of between 1 and 500 watts and at a frequency of between 20 and 30 mHz;

confining the plasma using an external magnetic field of between 1 and 500 gauss;

directing magnetically the plasma to a semiconductor substrate;

orienting the semiconductor substrate approximately normal to the magnetic field lines;

biasing the semiconductor substrate positive with respect to the plasma; the invention characterized in that fluorine is added to the oxygen plasma, whereby a native oxide film is grown.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the semiconductor is gallium arsenide.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the fluorine is added in the form of CF.sub.4 gas and the CF.sub.4 /O.sub.2 ratio is between 0.1 and 3.

15. A method of growing a native oxide layer comprising

placing a semiconductor substrate in an oxygen environment comprising oxygen at a pressure of less than 9.times.10.sup.-3 torr;

directing a beam comprising electrons of density of between 10.sup.8 electrons/cc and 10.sup.12 electrons/cc toward the substrate; and

biasing the substrate between 0.2 and 500 voltspositive with respect to the source of the electrons, the invention characterized in that fluorine is added to the oxygen environment, whereby a native oxide layer is grown.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the semiconductor is gallium arsenide.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the fluorine is added in the form of CF.sub.4 gas and the CF.sub.4 /O.sub.2 ratio is between 0.1 and 3.

Other info:

Inventors: Chang, Robert P. H. (Warren, NJ, US)

Application Number: 012192
Filing Date: 1979-02-14
Publication_date: 1981-01-20
Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated (Murray Hill, NJ)
Primary Class(es): 438/695 148/241, 204/164, 257/E21.283, 257/E21.326, 427/563, 427/571, 427/596, 438/718, 438/767
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

3287243	Nov, 1966	Ligenza	204/192.
3297500	Jan, 1967	Drake et al.	148/174.
3692571	Sep, 1972	Colton et al.	427/93.
3890169	Jun, 1975	Schwartz et al.	148/1.
3907616	Sep, 1975	Wiemer	204/164.
3914465	Oct, 1975	Dyment et al.	427/82.
4062747	Dec, 1977	Chang et al.	204/164.
4144634	Mar, 1979	Chang et al.	204/164.
4170666	Oct, 1979	Pancholy et al.	427/82.
4172906	Oct, 1979	Pancholy	427/82.
4183780	Jan, 1980	McKenna et al.	427/38.

Other Refs: Other References: Bondur et al., "Ion Implanted Emitters Defined by Plasma Etching," IBM TDB, 18, No. 8, 1-1976.
Ma et al., "Selective Oxidation of Silicon in Oxygen Plasma," IBM TDB, 19, No. 9, 2-1977.
Stirn et al., "Technology of GaAs Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Solar Cells," IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. EP-24, No. 4, 4-1977.
Chang, "Some Properties of Plasma-Grown GaAs Oxides," Thin Solid Films, 56, pp.v89-106, 1-1979.