Abstract: A method for growing semiconductor wafers by lateral diffusion liquid phase epitaxy is described. Also provided are a refractory device for practicing the disclosed method and semiconductor wafers prepared by the disclosed method and device. The disclosed method and device allow for significant cost and material waste savings over current semiconductor production technologies.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of forming a group III-V material utilized in thin film transistor devices. In one embodiment, a gallium arsenide based (GaAs) layer with or without dopants formed from a solution based precursor may be utilized in thin film transistor devices. The gallium arsenide based (GaAs) layer formed from the solution based precursor may be incorporated in thin film transistor devices to improve device performance and device speed. In one embodiment, a thin film transistor structure includes a gate insulator layer disposed on a substrate, a GaAs based layer disposed over the gate insulator layer, and a source-drain metal electrode layer disposed adjacent to the GaAs based layer.

Abstract: A method and device for producing metal foils using the foil-casting principle includes the steps of filling a casting frame with liquid metal, moving a substrate through the bottom of the casting frame, with the substrate belt being at a lower temperature than the melting point of the liquid metal in the bottom of the casting frame, so that a bottom layer of the liquid metal crystallizes on the substrate and a metal foil is formed on the substrate on one side of the casting frame. The method further includes the steps of measuring at least one of a thickness and weight of the metal foil, and adjusting the contact surface area between the liquid metal and the substrate as a function of the measured value for the thickness and/or weight of the foils produced.

Abstract: A crystal growth apparatus includes a vacuum sealable container, a crucible in the vacuum sealable container. The crucible can receive a polycrystalline material. The crucible comprises a seed well configured to hold a seed crystal. The wall of the crucible can include a base layer of a first material and a coated layer of a second material. The base layer provides mechanical strength to the crucible. A heater can heat the polycrystalline material to form a melt in contact with the seed crystal. The coated layer of the crucible allows a single crystal to grow in the melt.

Abstract: A liquid-phase growth apparatus for growing a crystal on a substrate includes a crucible containing a solution that contains a raw material for forming the crystal, and a substrate holder for vertically holding the substrate. The substrate holder includes connectors, a receiving component, and a push component. The receiving component and the push component are opposite to each other and are connected by the connectors. The push component holds an upper portion of the substrate while the receiving component holds a lower portion of the substrate. The substrate holder containing the vertically held substrate is dipped into the solution. The receiving component ascends with buoyancy in the solution contained in the crucible, so that the substrate is now held securely and prevented from cracking due to thermal expansion.

Abstract: A method of analyzing carbon concentration in crystalline silicon includes providing a section from a zoned and annealed silicon core. The zoned and annealed core is extracted from a polycrystalline silicon composition and has a columnar shape. The zoned and annealed core includes a single crystalline silicon region and a freeze-out melt region. The freeze-out melt region is disposed adjacent to the single crystalline silicon region, and the regions are spaced along a length of the columnar shape. Specifically, the section is provided from the freeze-out melt region, with the entire freeze-out melt region in the section. A carbon concentration of the section is determined. By providing the section from the freeze-out melt region, as opposed to the polycrystalline silicon composition, determination of carbon concentration in the crystalline silicon is enabled with a sensitivity at less than or equal to 10 parts per billion atomic.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes an image display unit including a plurality of pixels having a first liquid crystal material, a temperature detecting unit for detecting an environmental temperature using a second liquid crystal material, and a temperature control unit for controlling a temperature of the layer of the first liquid crystal material based on temperature information from the temperature detecting unit.

Abstract: A liquid-phase growth process for continuously growing a crystal film on a plurality of substrates with respect to their one side surfaces, characterized in that said plurality of substrates are kept afloat on the surface of a flowing solution for liquid-phase epitaxy which comprises a crystallizing material dissolved in a solvent in a supersaturated state and which is flowing in a solution flow passage, and while said plurality of substrates being moved by virtue of said flowing solution in said solution flow passage, a crystal film is grown on the surfaces of said plurality of substrates which are in contact with said flowing solution. A liquid-phase growth apparatus suitable for practicing said liquid-phase growth process.

Abstract: In a liquid phase growth process comprising immersing a substrate in a melt held in a crucible, a crystal material having been dissolved in the melt, and growing a crystal on the substrate, at least a group of substrates to be immersed in the melt held in the crucible are fitted to the supporting rack at a position set aside from the center of rotation of the crucible or supporting rack, and the crystal is grown on the surface of the substrate thus disposed. This can provide a liquid phase growth process which can attain a high growth rate, can enjoy uniform distribution of growth rate in each substrate and between the substrates even when substrates are set in a large number in one batch, and can readily keep the melt from reaction and contamination even when the system has a large size, and provide a liquid phase growth system suited for carrying out the process.

Abstract: A liquid-phase growth apparatus for growing a crystal on a substrate includes a crucible containing a solution that contains a raw material for forming the crystal, and a substrate holder for vertically holding the substrate. The substrate holder includes connectors, a receiving component, and a push component. The receiving component and the push component are opposite to each other and are connected by the connectors. The push component holds an upper portion of the substrate while the receiving component holds a lower portion of the substrate. The substrate holder containing the vertically held substrate is dipped into the solution. The receiving component ascends with buoyancy in the solution contained in the crucible, so that the substrate is now held securely and prevented from cracking due to thermal expansion.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing semiconductor thin films in which the semiconductor thin films are allowed to grow on a plurality of substrates by dipping the plurality of substrates into a solution filled in a crucible, the solution containing a semiconductor as a solute, while moving the same in the solution. An angle between a direction of a normal line on a central portion of a growing surface of each substrate and the direction of the movement of the substrates is set to be in 87 degrees or less and the movement of the substrates generates a flow of the solution.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device having high performance, low operating voltage, and long service life, and a method for fabricating the same are provided. A semiconductor multilayer film including an active layer for use of laser beam oscillation is stacked on a substrate. Then a clad layer composed of p-type AlGaAs doped with a p-type impurity Mg, and a contact layer composed of p-type GaAs doped also with Mg are grown by an LPE growth process, and further a surface layer having a high-resistance portion present in the contact layer and low in carrier concentration is removed. The active layer for use of laser beam oscillation is arranged in a substantially center of an end surface from which the laser beam is emitted.

Abstract: In an improved liquid phase epitaxial growth method and apparatus in which a plurality of substrates are placed in a deposition chamber having at least one first vent hole; a solution for liquid phase growth is held in a solution chamber having at least one second vent hole and at least two sub-chambers separated by a partition plate and communicated with each other via a communicating portion; and before the substrates and the solution for liquid phase growth are brought into contact with each other, the deposition chamber and the solution chamber are revolved for causing the solution for liquid phase growth to move through the communicating portion so as to increase and decrease the volume of space portions of the respective sub-chambers and thereby replacement of a heat-treatment gas in the deposition chamber and the solution chamber is undertaken to achieve heat treatment.

Abstract: An infrared LED can function efficiently as both an emitter and a detector at a common wavelength without undesirable characteristics found in avalanche diodes. The LED comprises a graded-bandgap Ga.sub.1-x Al.sub.x As semiconductor material with two semiconductive regions that form a p-n junction. The value of x (the amount of aluminum in the semiconductive material Ga.sub.1-x Al.sub.x As) is varied monotonically as the material is grown so that x decreases monotonically from a value greater than approximately 0.08 at the diode surface on the N side of the p-n junction to a value not less than zero at the diode surface on the P side of the junction. The value of x at the p-n junction is greater than 0 and less than approximately 0.08 as a result of a high initial growth temperature of at least about 930 degrees Celsius.