Solid phase epitaxial growth

Claim 1

A method of growing epitaxially a doped silicon layer upon a silicon substrate comprising, depositing over said silicon substrate a first material layer selected from one of palladium, vanadium, titanium, and nickel, depositing over said first metal layer a doping layer of one of, antimony, phosphorus, aluminum, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, arsenic, and bismuth, depositing over said doping layer a layer of silicon, heating said substrate and layers to a first temperature below their eutectic point temperature until said silicon layer forms a silicide of said first metal layer, and heating said substrate and layers at a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature but still below said eutectic temperature to cause migration of said dopant and said silicon through said silicide layer and nucleation and growth thereof upon the surface of said crystal.

Claim 2

A method of growing epitaxially a doped silicon layer upon a silicon substrate comprising, depositing over said silicon substrate a first material layer selected from one of palladium, vanadium, titanium, and nickel, depositing over said first metal layer a doping layer of one of, antimony, phosphorus, aluminum, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, arsenic, and bismuth, depositing over said doping layer a layer of silicon, heating said substrate and layers to a first temperature below their eutectic point temperature until said silicon layer forms a silicide of said first metal layer, and heating said substrate and layers at a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature but still below said eutectic temperature to cause migration of said dopant and said silicon through said silicide layer and nucleation and growth thereof upon the surface of said crystal.

Claim 4

The method of growing a semi-conductor device comprising cleaning the surface of a single crystal silicon substrate depositing a thin layer of palladium over said substrate surface, depositing a thin doping layer of antimony over said palladium surface, depositing a layer of silicon over said doping layer, heating said substrate and the layers thereon to a first temperature below their eutectic temperature at which said palladium layer will form a palladium silicide, heating said substrate and film deposited thereover at a second temperature below their eutectic temperature to enable migration of said dopant and silicon through said palladium silicide to form an epitaxially grown layer of doped silicon between the surface of said crystal and the boundary of said palladium silicide.

Claim 5

The method of growing a semi-conductor device comprising cleaning the surface of a single crystal silicon substrate depositing a thin layer of palladium over said substrate surface, depositing a thin doping layer of antimony over said palladium surface, depositing a layer of silicon over said doping layer, heating said substrate and the layers thereon to a first temperature below their eutectic temperature at which said palladium layer will form a palladium silicide, heating said substrate and film deposited thereover at a second temperature below their eutectic temperature to enable migration of said dopant and silicon through said palladium silicide to form an epitaxially grown layer of doped silicon between the surface of said crystal and the boundary of said palladium silicide.

Claim 8

A method of growing an epitaxial layer on a substrate comprising depositing a thin layer of a first material over a single crystal substrate, said first material being one of palladium, titanium, vanadium and nickel, said substrate being one of a group consisting of silicon and germanium, depositing a thin layer of a second amorphous material which is one of a group consisting of silicon and germanium, over said first material which second amorphous material is the same as said single crystal substrate but has a higher energy level than when in its single crystal form and which has the property that it can pass through said first material to form an epitaxial layer on said substrate while said first material is heated below its eutectic temperature, heating said substrate and the layers thereon to a first temperature which is below the eutectic temperature of said substrate and layers for a time required for said first material to dissolve some of said substrate and said second material, and heating said substrate and the layers thereon to a second temperature above the first temperature, but still below the eutectic temperature of said substrate and layers, for a time required to grow an epitaxial layer having a desired thickness on said substrate.

Claim 9

A method of growing an epitaxial layer on a substrate comprising depositing a thin layer of a first material over a single crystal substrate, said first material being one of palladium, titanium, vanadium and nickel, said substrate being one of a group consisting of silicon and germanium, depositing a thin layer of a second amorphous material which is one of a group consisting of silicon and germanium, over said first material which second amorphous material is the same as said single crystal substrate but has a higher energy level than when in its single crystal form and which has the property that it can pass through said first material to form an epitaxial layer on said substrate while said first material is heated below its eutectic temperature, heating said substrate and the layers thereon to a first temperature which is below the eutectic temperature of said substrate and layers for a time required for said first material to dissolve some of said substrate and said second material, and heating said substrate and the layers thereon to a second temperature above the first temperature, but still below the eutectic temperature of said substrate and layers, for a time required to grow an epitaxial layer having a desired thickness on said substrate.