This invention relates to the deposition of semiconductors, and, more particularly, to the deposition of amorphous semiconductors.
In the production of amorphous semiconductors, it is common practice to decompose chemical substances known as semiconductanes. The most common semiconductanes are silanes and germanes, which are hydrogenated compounds of silicon and germanium. When the silanes have polysilicon atoms, i.e. include more than one silicon atom, they are known as polysilanes. Similarly, germanes with polygermanium atoms are known as polygermanes.
Standard deposition procedures involve glow discharge and pyrolytic conversion of semiconductane gases. It is desirable to accomplish such conversions at comparatively low temperatures and high rates.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to facilitate the conversion of semiconductanes to amorphous semiconductors.
A related object is to achieve the conversion at a comparatively lower temperature than in the prior art.
Another related object is to achieve the conversion at a comparatively higher rate than in the prior art.