| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080254601 | METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING THIN FILM FORMATION WITH REACTIVE GASES - A method for producing a Group IV semiconductor thin film in a chamber is disclosed. The method includes positioning a substrate in the chamber, wherein the chamber further has a chamber pressure. The method further includes depositing a nanoparticle ink on the substrate, the nanoparticle ink including set of Group IV semiconductor nanoparticles and a solvent, wherein each nanoparticle of the set of Group IV semiconductor nanoparticles includes a nanoparticle surface, wherein a layer of Group IV semiconductor nanoparticles is formed. The method also includes striking a hydrogen plasma; and heating the layer of Group IV semiconductor nanoparticles to a fabrication temperature of between about 300° C. and about 1350° C., and between about 1 nanosecond and about 10 minutes; wherein the Group IV semiconductor thin film is formed. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20090233426 | METHOD OF FORMING A PASSIVATED DENSIFIED NANOPARTICLE THIN FILM ON A SUBSTRATE - A method for forming a passivated densified nanoparticle thin film on a substrate in a chamber is disclosed. The method includes depositing a nanoparticle ink on a first region on the substrate, the nanoparticle ink including a set of Group IV semiconductor particles and a solvent. The method also includes heating the nanoparticle ink to a first temperature between about 30° C. and about 400° C., and for a first time period between about 1 minute and about 60 minutes, wherein the solvent is substantially removed, and a porous compact is formed. The method further includes flowing an oxidizer gas into the chamber; and heating the porous compact to a second temperature between about 600° C. and about 1000° C., and for a second time period of between about 5 seconds and about 1 hour; wherein the passivated densified nanoparticle thin film is formed. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090239330 | METHODS FOR FORMING COMPOSITE NANOPARTICLE-METAL METALLIZATION CONTACTS ON A SUBSTRATE - A method for forming a contact to a substrate is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate, the substrate being doped with a first dopant; and diffusing a second dopant into at least a first side of the substrate to form a second dopant region, the first side further including a first side surface area. The method also includes forming a dielectric layer on the first side of the substrate. The method further includes forming a set of composite layer regions on the dielectric layer, wherein each composite layer region of the set of composite layer regions further includes a set of Group IV semiconductor nanoparticles and a set of metal particles. The method also includes heating the set of composite layer regions to a first temperature, wherein at least some composite layer regions of the set of composite layer regions etch through the dielectric layer and form a set of contacts with the second dopant region. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090269913 | JUNCTION FORMATION ON WAFER SUBSTRATES USING GROUP IV NANOPARTICLES - A method of forming a diffusion region is disclosed. The method includes depositing a nanoparticle ink on a surface of a wafer to form a non-densified thin film, the nanoparticle ink having set of nanoparticles, wherein at least some nanoparticles of the set of nanoparticles include dopant atoms therein. The method also includes heating the non-densified thin film to a first temperature and for a first time period to remove a solvent from the deposited nanoparticle ink; and heating the non-densified thin film to a second temperature and for a second time period to form a densified thin film, wherein at least some of the dopant atoms diffuse into the wafer to form the diffusion region. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100136771 | SUB-CRITICAL SHEAR THINNING GROUP IV BASED NANOPARTICLE FLUID - A Group IV based nanoparticle fluid is disclosed. The nanoparticle fluid includes a set of nanoparticles—comprising a set of Group IV atoms, wherein the set of nanoparticles is present in an amount of between about 1 wt % and about 20 wt % of the nanoparticle fluid. The nanoparticle fluid also includes a set of HMW molecules, wherein the set of HMW molecules is present in an amount of between about 0 wt % and about 5 wt % of the nanoparticle fluid. The nanoparticle fluid further includes a set of capping agent molecules, wherein at least some capping agent molecules of the set of capping agent molecules are attached to the set of nanoparticles. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100167510 | METHODS OF USING A SET OF SILICON NANOPARTICLE FLUIDS TO CONTROL IN SITU A SET OF DOPANT DIFFUSION PROFILES - A method of forming a multi-doped junction is disclosed. The method includes providing a first substrate and a second substrate. The method also includes depositing a first ink on a first surface of each of the first substrate and the second substrate, the first ink comprising a first set of nanoparticles and a first set of solvents, the first set of nanoparticles comprising a first concentration of a first dopant. The method further includes depositing a second ink on a second surface of each of the first substrate and the second substrate, the second ink comprising a second set of nanoparticles and a second set of solvents, the second set of nanoparticles comprising a second concentration of a second dopant. The method also includes placing the first substrate and the second substrate in a back to back configuration; and heating the first substrate and the second substrate in a first drive-in ambient to a first temperature and for a first time period. The method further includes exposing the first substrate and the second substrate in the back to back configuration to a deposition ambient, the deposition ambient comprising POCl | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100216299 | SUBSTRATE PREPARATION FOR ENHANCED THIN FILM FABRICATION FROM GROUP IV SEMICONDUCTOR NANOPARTICLES - A method for producing a thin film promoter layer is disclosed. The method includes depositing a Group IV semiconductor ink on a substrate, the Group IV semiconductor ink including a set of Group IV semiconductor nanoparticles and a set of metal nanoparticles to form a porous compact. The method also includes heating the substrate to a first temperature between about 350° C. to about 765° C. and for a first time period between 5 min to about 3 hours. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100221903 | METHODS OF FORMING A LOW RESISTANCE SILICON-METAL CONTACT - A method of forming an ohmic contact on a substrate is described. The method includes depositing a set of silicon particles on the substrate surface. The method also includes heating the substrate in a baking ambient to a baking temperature and for a baking time period in order to create a densified film ink pattern. The method further includes exposing the substrate to a dopant source in a diffusion furnace with a deposition ambient, the deposition ambient comprising POCl | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100275982 | GROUP IV NANOPARTICLE JUNCTIONS AND DEVICES THEREFROM - A device for generating electricity from solar radiation is disclosed. The device includes a wafer doped with a first dopant, the wafer including a front-side and a back-side, wherein the front-side is configured to be exposed to the solar radiation. The device also includes a fused Group IV nanoparticle thin film deposited on the front-side, wherein the nanoparticle thin film includes a second dopant, wherein the second dopant is a counter dopant. The device further includes a first electrode deposited on the nanoparticle thin film, and a second electrode deposited on the back-side, wherein when solar radiation is applied to the front-side, an electrical current is produced. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20110003464 | METHODS OF USING A SILICON NANOPARTICLE FLUID TO CONTROL IN SITU A SET OF DOPANT DIFFUSION PROFILES - A method of forming a multi-doped junction on a substrate is disclosed. The method includes providing the substrate doped with boron atoms, the substrate comprising a front substrate surface, and depositing an ink on the front substrate surface in an ink pattern, the ink comprising a set of nanoparticles and a set of solvents. The method further includes heating the substrate in a baking ambient to a first temperature of between about 200° C. and about 800° C. and for a first time period of between about 3 minutes and about 20 minutes in order to create a densified film ink pattern. The method also includes exposing the substrate to a dopant source in a diffusion furnace with a deposition ambient, the deposition ambient comprising POCl | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110003465 | Methods of forming a multi-doped junction with silicon-containing particles - A method of forming a multi-doped junction on a substrate is disclosed. The method includes providing the substrate doped with boron atoms, the substrate comprising a front substrate surface. The method further includes depositing an ink on the front substrate surface in a ink pattern, the ink comprising a set of silicon-containing particles and a set of solvents. The method also includes heating the substrate in a baking ambient to a first temperature and for a first time period in order to create a densified film ink pattern. The method further includes exposing the substrate to a dopant source in a diffusion furnace with a deposition ambient, the deposition ambient comprising POCl | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110012066 | GROUP IV NANOPARTICLE FLUID - A Group IV based nanoparticle fluid is disclosed. The nanoparticle fluid includes a set of nanoparticles-comprising a set of Group IV atoms, wherein the set of nanoparticles is present in an amount of between about 1 wt % and about 20 wt % of the nanoparticle fluid. The nanoparticle fluid also includes a set of HMW molecules, wherein the set of HMW molecules is present in an amount of between about 0 wt % and about 5 wt % of the nanoparticle fluid. The nanoparticle fluid further includes a set of capping agent molecules, wherein at least some capping agent molecules of the set of capping agent molecules are attached to the set of nanoparticles. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110028000 | METHODS OF ETCHING SILICON-CONTAINING FILMS ON SILICON SUBSTRATES - A method for selectively etching a silicon-containing film on a silicon substrate is disclosed. The method includes depositing a silicon-containing film on the silicon substrate. The method further includes baking the silicon-containing film to create a densified silicon-containing film, wherein the densified film has a first thickness. The method also includes exposing the silicon substrate to an aqueous solution comprising NH | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110053352 | Method of forming a passivated densified nanoparticle thin film on a substrate - A method for forming a passivated densified nanoparticle thin film on a substrate in a chamber is disclosed. The method includes depositing a nanoparticle ink on a first region on the substrate, the nanoparticle ink including a set of Group IV semiconductor particles and a solvent. The method also includes heating the nanoparticle ink to a first temperature between about 30° C. and about 400° C., and for a first time period between about 1 minute and about 60 minutes, wherein the solvent is substantially removed, and a porous compact is formed. The method further includes flowing an oxidizer gas into the chamber; and heating the porous compact to a second temperature between about 600° C. and about 1000° C., and for a second time period of between about 5 seconds and about 1 hour; wherein the passivated densified nanoparticle thin film is formed. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110091731 | SEMICONDUCTOR THIN FILMS FORMED FROM GROUP IV NANOPARTICLES - Native Group IV semiconductor thin films formed from coating substrates using formulations of Group IV nanoparticles are described. Such native Group IV semiconductor thin films leverage the vast historical knowledge of Group IV semiconductor materials and at the same time exploit the advantages of Group IV semiconductor nanoparticles for producing novel thin films which may be readily integrated into a number of devices. | 04-21-2011 |
