Method of making amorphous semiconductor alloys and devices using microwave energy

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A low pressure process for making amorphous semiconductor alloy films and devices at high deposition rates and high gas conversion efficiencies utilizes microwave energy to form a deposition plasma. The alloys exhibit high-quality electronic properties suitable for many applications including photovoltaic and electrophotographic applications. The microwave energy and reaction gases form a glow discharge plasma within a reaction vessel to deposit an amorphous semiconductor film from the reaction gases onto a substrate. The reaction gases can include silane (SiH4) silicon tetrafluoride, (SiF4), silane and silicon tetrafluoride silane and germane, (GeH4), silicon tetrafluoride and germane …