Abstract: Semiconductor devices such as thin-film transistors formed by annealing a substantially amorphous silicon film at a temperature either lower than normal crystallization temperature of amorphous silicon or lower than the glass transition point of the substrate so as to crystallize the silicon film. Islands, stripes, lines, or dots of nickel, iron, cobalt, or platinum, silicide, acetate, or nitrate of nickel, iron, cobalt, or platinum, film containing various salts, particles, or clusters containing at least one of nickel, iron, cobalt, and platinum are used as starting materials for crystallization. These materials are formed on or under the amorphous silicon film.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon germanium thin film is disclosed which contains hydrogen and germanium in concentrations of 5-10 atomic percent and 40-55 atomic percent, respectively for exhibiting the optical gap in the range of 1.30-1.40 eV. Also disclosed is a photovoltaic element incorporating the amorphous silicon germanium thin film.

Abstract: The semiconductor device includes and the method for fabricating the same forms a damaged region under a gate electrode to improve device performance and simplify the process. The semiconductor device includes a substrate in which a buried insulating layer is formed; device isolating layers buried in first predetermined areas of the substrate to contact with the buried insulating layer; a gate electrode formed over a second predetermined area of the substrate; sidewall spacers formed on both sides of the gate electrode; source and drain regions at both sides of the gate electrode; and the damaged region at boundary of the buried insulating layer under the gate electrode.

Abstract: A pin or nip layer sequence, especially for use as a color sensor in electrooptical components. The bond gap of a first intrinsic (i) layer closer to the light input side is greater than the bond gap of a second i layer adjacent to the first and further removed from the light input side. The new .mu..tau. product for the i layer furthest distant from the layer is greater than the .mu..tau. product of an i layer closer is the n layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes first and second conductive contact layers (12, 15) and an hydrogenated, silicon-rich, amorphous silicon alloy layer (14), particularly an amorphous silicon nitride or amorphous silicon carbide alloy, extending between the contact layers. A defect band is induced in the amorphous silicon layer which lowers the activation energy level for the transport of carriers through the structure by an amount that is selectable and determined by the defect band. The defect band is created by a programming process, for example, using current stressing or particle bombardment. A memory matrix array device is provided by forming a row and column array of such memory devices from common deposited layers on a common substrate with crossing sets of row and column conductors separated by a layer of the alloy material defining a memory device at each of their cross-over regions.

Abstract: Regions 106 which can be regarded as being monocrystalline are formed locally by irradiating with laser light, and at least the channel-forming region 112 is constructed using these regions. With thin-film transistors which have such a construction it is possible to obtain characteristics which are similar to those which employ monocrystals. Further, by connecting in parallel a plurality of such thin-film transistors it is possible to obtain characteristics which are effectively equivalent to those of a monocrystalline thin-film transistor in which the channel width has been increased.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which does not allow production of leak current or a drop of the Early voltage and includes a diffused layer having a reduced depth. A silicon layer containing an impurity of a second conduction type is formed on a semiconductor substrate of a first conduction type, and a spacer layer formed from a single crystalline silicon layer containing germanium is provided under the silicon layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, in which wiring layers are electrically isolated from each other by an insulating film which includes an amorphous carbon fluoride film insulating film containing carbon and fluorine as main components and the wiring layers are electrically connected to each other by a conductive material buried in a hole penetrating through the insulating film, is manufactured by selectively etching the amorphous carbon fluoride film. Moreover, a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, or a silicon oxynitride film is formed on both of the amorphous carbon fluoride film and a side surface of said hole, or one of the amorphous carbon fluoride film and the side surface thereof.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which has a non-single crystal semiconductor layer formed on a substrate and in which the non-single crystal semiconductor layer is composed of a first semiconductor region formed primarily of non-single crystal semiconductor and a second semi-conductor region formed primarily of semi-amorphous semiconductor. The second semi-conductor region has a higher degree of conductivity than the first semiconductor region so that a semi-conductor element may be formed.

Abstract: Disclosed is the use of silicon carbide as a barrier layer to prevent the diffusion of metal atoms between adjacent conductors separated by a dielectric material. This advancement allows for the use of low resistivity metals and low dielectric constant dielectric layers in integrated circuits and wiring boards.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device, which is used as an optical detector and has: a photodiode section which has a first silicon layer, a light-absorbing layer and a second silicon layer which are in turn layered on a silicon substrate; wherein the light-absorbing layer is formed as a single silicon-germanium epitaxial layer and the single silicon-germanium epitaxial layer has a germanium concentration distribution which provides germanium concentrations of zero at its interfaces to the first silicon layer and the second silicon layer and provides a triangle-shaped concentration profile that a peak concentration value is provided in the middle of the single silicon-germanium epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a silicon-germanium thin film field effect transistor (TFT) with a high carrier mobility and a high on/off ratio. An amorphous silicon layer, an amorphous germanium layer and a gate insulating film are successively layered on an insulating substrate on which a pair of source and drain electrodes are formed. Next, the amorphous silicon layer and the amorphous germanium layer are converted into polycrystalline layers by thermal annealing at a temperature higher than 600.degree. C. or laser annealing. Then, a gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating film.

Abstract: Regions 106 which can be regarded as being monocrystalline are formed locally by irradiating with laser light, and at least the channel-forming region 112 is constructed using these regions. With thin-film transistors which have such a construction it is possible to obtain characteristics which are similar to those which employ monocrystals. Further, by connecting in parallel a plurality of such thin-film transistors it is possible to obtain characteristics which are effectively equivalent to those of a monocrystalline thin-film transistor in which the channel width has been increased.

Abstract: A Ge--Si MOS transistor for high speed, high density applications in which a thin layer of silicon (Si) is doped to have a concentration of germanium (Ge) ions which is preferably between 10 and 30%. The germanium doped silicon is formed on a layer or substrate of insulator. Optional silicidation of the drain and source regions improves conductivity therein and the use of shallow SIMOX processing technologies results in a more cost-effective and rapid fabrication process.

Abstract: In the present invention, the optical band gap Eg (eV) of an amorphous silicon carbide film has the following relationship with the content of hydrogen C.sub.H (at. %) and the content of carbon C.sub.C (at. %) in the film:Eg=a+bC.sub.H /100+cC.sub.C /100,where a, b, and c are respectively in the ranges of 1.54.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.1.60, 0.55.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.0.65, and -0.65.ltoreq.c.ltoreq.-0.55, whereby the defect density in the amorphous silicon carbide film can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: A high performance thin film semiconductor device having a heterojunction such as a photoelectric conversion device is disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, the thin film semiconductor device comprises a thin semiconductor layer which forms a heterojunction with a non-single crystal silicon layer or non-single crystal silicon-germanium layer, wherein the valence band discontinuity at the heterointerface arising from the difference in optical energy bandgap is as small as 0.3 eV or less and wherein the thin semiconductor layer has an optical energy bandgap greater than 2.8 eV, so that hole transport performance may not be degraded. Such a thin semiconductor layer may be formed by using silane gas and methane gas with a flow rate ratio greater than 30 at a deposition rate less than 0.5 .ANG./sec.

Abstract: Thin film detector of ultraviolet radiation with high spectral selectivity option, and a structure placed between two electrodes, formed by the superposition of semiconductor thin films such as hydrogenated amorphous silicon and its alloys with carbon. The device is able to absorb a large quantity of UV radiation and to convert it into electric current being transparent to photons of longer wavelengths. Its deposition technique allows fabrication on substrates of glass, plastic, metal, ceramic types of materials (also opaque, also flexible), on which a conductor material film has been predeposited. It can be fabricated on substrates of any size.

Abstract: There is disclosed a photoelectric conversion element having a photoelectric conversion portion, at least comprising an insulating layer, a photoconductive semiconductor layer provided in contact with said insulating layer, and made of a non-single crystal material containing hydrogen atoms with the base of silicon, first and second electrodes provided in contact with the photoconductive semiconductor layer, and a third electrode provided in contact with the insulating layer. The amount of hydrogen atoms contained in said photoconductive semiconductor layer is made nonuniform in a thickness direction of said layer so that an energy band gap width of said layer changes.

Abstract: An impurity diffusion surface layer is formed in a surface of a silicon substrate, and an aluminum electrode is arranged in direct contact with the impurity diffusion layer. The surface layer contains Ge as an impurity serving to change the lattice constant in a concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.21 cm.sup.-1 under a thermal non-equilibrium state. The lattice constant of the surface layer is set higher than that of silicon containing the same concentration of germanium under a thermal equilibrium state. As a result, it is possible to decrease the Schittky barrier height at the contact between the surface layer and the electrode. The surface layer also contains an electrically active boron as an impurity serving to impart carriers in a concentration higher than the critical concentration of solid solution in silicon under a thermal equilibrium state. The presence of Ge permits the carrier mobility within the surface layer higher than that within silicon.

Abstract: The content of bonding hydrogen in an a - SiGe film is so adjusted that in a case where the content of bonding hydrogen per Si atom in the film is in the range of approximately 8 to 14 at. %, [SiH.sub.2 ]/[Si] and [SiH]/[Si] are respectively in the ranges of approximately 0.5 to 4 at. % and approximately 7 to 10 at. %, and both [SiH.sub.2 ]/[Si] and [SiH]/[Si] increase at approximately equal slops as the content of bonding hydrogen increases.

Abstract: A structure and fabrication method for a thin film transistor which is suitable for an SRAM memory cell. The thin film transistor structure includes an insulating substrate and a semiconductor layer formed as a wall on the insulation substrate. A gate insulation film is formed on the semiconductor layer and over the entire surface of the insulation substrate. A gate electrode formed on the gate insulation film at the center part of the semiconductor layer. Impurity regions are formed in the semiconductor layer on both sides of the gate electrode.

Abstract: An optical device includes a body of a semiconductor material having a waveguide therein along which light flows and means for providing gain to the light. A layer of an amorphous or polycrystalline metallic-ferromagnetic material extends along the waveguide and means, such as a permanent magnet, provides a magnetic field to the metallic-ferromagnetic material layer. This provides an optical isolator of the Faraday rotation type which can be integrated with a variety of material systems including those commonly used to fabricate semiconductor lasers, arrays and amplifiers.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus including a photoelectric conversion element having a photoelectric conversion section. The photoelectric conversion section has an insulating layer with first and second opposed surfaces, and a photoconductive semiconductor layer with first and second opposed surfaces and an intermediate region disposed therebetween, the second surface of the semiconductor layer being adjacent to the first surface of the insulating layer. The photoconductive semiconductor layer has a non-monocrystalline matrix of silicon atoms and including hydrogen atoms distributed nonuniformly. A concentration of the hydrogen atoms is greater near the first and second surfaces of the photoconductive semiconductor layer than in the intermediate region, so that an energy band gap width of the photoconductive semiconductor layer varies between the first and second surfaces of said photoconductive semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A thin-film semiconductor device includes a plurality of thin-film semiconductor elements each having a gate electrode formed on a substrate, an insulating film formed on the gate electrode, a semiconductor film formed on the insulating film and doped with an n-type impurity, and source and drain electrodes formed on the semiconductor film and separated from each other, that region of the semiconductor film which corresponds to a gap between the source electrode and the drain electrode, being doped with a p-type impurity so that the p-type impurity concentration is equal to or greater than the n-type impurity concentration, to form an intrinsic layer, scanning-signal transmitting electrode lines each formed so as to connect the gate electrodes of some of the thin-film semiconductor elements, video-signal transmitting electrode lines each formed so as to connect the drain electrodes of some of the thin-film semiconductor elements, and pixel electrodes each connected to the source electrode of one of the thin-f

Abstract: Non-linear optical materials are formed from amorphous thin films having semiconductor microcrystallites dispersed therein. Amorphous thin films of nitrides or carbides are selected that have a larger bandgap than the bandgap of the semiconductor materials which form the dispersed microcrystallites in order to prevent the surfaces of the microcrystallites from undergoing chemical reactions such as oxidation and the like. The non-linear optical materials are prepared by a sputtering method in which a target formed from the semiconductor material and a separate target formed from the nitrides or carbides are sputtered to produce the non-linear optical material.

Abstract: This invention is directed to new non-linear optical materials and methods for manufacturing these materials. A new materials are non-oxide amorphous thin films which are doped with semiconductor microcrystallites. The use of non-oxide materials as the amorphous thin film prevents the occurrence of undesirable chemical reactions, such as the oxidation of the semiconductor microcrystallites doped therein. The disclosed materials may be manufactured by simultaneously sputtering a target of the selected semiconductor material and a target of the non-oxide amorphous material. Alternatively, reactive sputtering in a non-oxide gas environment may be utilized to deposit the non-oxide amorphous material doped with semiconductor microcrystallites.

Abstract: A camera device having favorable multiplication characteristics (quantum efficiency) as well as improved sensitivity in a visible light region (especially the region on the red side) and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The camera device includes a hole injection stop layer, a first photoelectric converting layer including selenium, a second photoelectric converting layer having spectral sensitivity characteristics which are different from those of the first photoelectric converting layer, a third photoelectric converting layer including selenium, and an electron injection stop layer. As a result, it is possible to improve multiplication characteristics (quantum efficiency) and to improve the sensitivity in the visible light region (especially the region on the red side) simultaneously.

Abstract: A non-single crystalline semiconductor containing at least one kind of atoms selected from the group consisting of silicon atoms (Si) and germanium atoms (Ge) as a matrix, and at least one kind of atoms selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms (H) and halogen atoms (X), wherein said non-single crystalline semiconductor has an average radius of 3.5 .ANG. or less and a density of 1.times.10.sup.19 (cm.sup.-3) or less as for microvoids contained therein. The non-single crystalline semiconductor excels in semiconductor characteristics and adhesion with other materials and are effectively usable as a constituent element of various semiconductor devices.

Abstract: An amorphous Si/SiC heterojunction color-sensitive phototransistor was successfully fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The structure is glass/ITO/a-Si(n.sup.+ -i-p.sup.+)/a-SiC(i-n.sup.+)/Al. The device is a bulk barrier transistor with a wide-bandgap amorphous SiC emitter. The phototransistor revealed a very high optical gain of 40 and a response speed of 10 us at an input light power of 5 uW and a collector current of 0.12 mA at a voltage of 14 V. The peak response occurs at 610 nm under 1 V bias and changes to 420 and 540 nm under 7- and 13-V biases, respectively.

Abstract: An amorphous semiconductor material which does not age under the action of light is particularly suitable for red-sensitive photovoltaic components and is highly photosensitive. The amorphous semiconductor material is germanium based, particularly a silicon-germanium alloy. To this end, the semiconductor material has a compact, void-free structure, is manufactured in a glow discharge reactor by appropriate variation of the precipitation parameters, and contains one element from Group VI A of the periodic system.

Abstract: A resin-sealed semiconductor device, including a chip mounting die pad, porous fluorocarbon material located just beneath the die pad, beneath a die-pad supporting layer, gold lead wires, or in a sealing resin surrounding the other components, wherein any water vapor generated by the heat of soldering will be held within the porous fluorocarbon rather than crack the sealant under internal pressure.

Abstract: An SOI wafer is formed having a silicon-germanium layer between the epitaxial layer of the device and the insulative layer. The process includes bonding a second substrate to a silicon-germanium layer on a first substrate by an intermediate insulative layer. The first substrate is removed down to the silicon-germanium layer and the silicon layer is epitaxially formed on the silicon-germanium layer.

Abstract: A method of making a thin film transistor is described incorporating the steps of forming a gate electrode, a layer of insulating material, a layer of buffer material, a layer of semiconductor material, a source electrode and drain electrode. The invention reduces the problem of variation in threshold voltage of thin film transistors due to external stress such as the gate voltage or temperature.

Abstract: Hard, mechanically and chemically stable protective layers for electroactive passivation layers of semiconductor components, which also act as diffusion barriers against moisture and ions, comprise a thin layer of amorphous, hydrogenated carbon.