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Carbon-containing semiconducting devices and methods of making thereof

Carbon-containing semiconducting devices and methods of making thereof description/claims

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/902,979, filed on Feb. 22, 2007, entitled “Carbon-Containing Semiconducting Devices and Methods of Making Thereof,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention relate to semiconducting carbon-containing devices and methods of making thereof. Both n-type and p-type semiconductor layers can be derived from carbon-containing polymeric precursors and one or both semiconductor layers can be incorporated into a semiconductor.

2. Description of the Related Art

Solar cells are one of the most important new energy sources that have become available in the past several decades. Considerable effort has gone into solar cell development, and solar cells are currently being applied in the production of some consumer electronics such as hand-held calculators. While significant progress has been made in solar cell development, increased energy conversion efficiency and cost reductions would be desirable to make large area solar cells practical in an economic sense for wider use for houses, automobiles, and mobile communications.

Generally, solar cells involve p-n junctions where charge separation across the junction forms the basis for the current production. The p-n junctions are created by forming a p-type semiconducting layer and an n-type semiconducting layer. Previous work relating to solar cells has involved silicon based semiconductor materials. However, the use of carbon in solar cells has recently been investigated. As carbon-containing solar cells offer advantages such as reduced manufacturing costs, there is a need for further development of such devices.

The following references provide further background to the invention and are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties: Umeno et al., Applied Physics Letter, Vol. 77, p. 1427 (2000); Yi et al., “Structural Characterizations and Electrical Properties of Pyrolyzed Polyimide Containing Silicon in the Main Chain,” Synthetic Metals, Volume 126, Number 2, pp. 325-330(6) (Feb. 14, 2002); Sharon, M., “Effect of Pyrolyzing Time and Temperature on the Bandgap of Camphor-Pyrolyzed Semiconducting Carbon Films,” Materials Chemistry and Physics, Volume 56, Number 3, pp. 284-288(5) (Oct. 15, 1998); Krishna, K. M., “Photovoltaic Solar Cell from Camphoric Carbon—A Natural Source,” Fuel and Energy Abstracts, Volume 38, Number 6, pp. 415-415(1) (November 1997); Krishnal, K. M., “Solar Cells Based on Carbon Thin Films,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Volume 65, Number 1, pp. 163-170(8) (January 2001); Anguita, J. V., “Semiconducting Hydrogenated Carbon-Nitrogen Alloys with Low Defect Densities,” Diamond and Related Materials, Volume 9, Number 3, pp. 777-780(4) (April 2000); Narayanan et al., “Photovoltaic Effects of a :C/C60/Si (p-i-n) Solar Cell Structures,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Volume 75, Number 3, pp. 345-350(6) (Feb. 1, 2003); Rusop, M., “Nitrogen Doped n-type Amorphous Carbon Films Obtained by Pulsed Laser Deposition with a Natural Camphor Source Target for Solar Cell Applications,” Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, Volume 17, Number 12, pp. 1929-1946(18) (Mar. 30, 2005); Ma, Z. Q., “Boron-Doped Diamond-like Amorphous Carbon as Photovoltaic Films in Solar Cell,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Volume 69, Number 4, pp. 339-344(6) (November 2001); Krishnal, K. M., “Solar Cells Based on Carbon Thin Films,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Volume 65, Number 1, pp. 163-170(8) (January 2001); Kureishi, Y., “Photoinduced Electron Transfer from Synthetic Chlorophyll Analogue to Fullerene C60 on Carbon Paste Electrode—Preparation of a Novel Solar Cell,” Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics, Volume 48, Number 1, pp. 95-100(6) (February 1999); Maldei M., “Quantum-Efficiency Measurements on Carbon-Hydrogen-Alloy-Based Solar Cells,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Volume 51, Number 3, pp. 433-440(8) (Feb. 27, 1998); Sharon M., “A Photoelectrochemical Solar Cell from Camphoric p-carbon Semiconductor,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Volume 45, Number 1, pp. 35-41(7) (Jan. 1, 1997); and Faiman, D., “Solar Cells from Carbon,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Volume 44, Number 4, pp. 485-491(7) (Dec. 15, 1996).

The following patent applications and publications provide further background to the invention and are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties: Japanese Patent Application Number 2000-281411, filed on Sep. 18, 2000, entitled “Carbon Material for Solar Cell and Solar Cell,” which published on Mar. 29, 2002 as JP 2002-94097 A; Japanese Patent Application Number H11-198674, filed Jul. 13, 1999, entitled “Film Forming Device of Hard Carbon Film,” which published Jan. 30, 2001 as JP 2001-026873; Japanese Patent Application Number H02-134810, filed on May 24, 1990, entitled “Ion Source and Diamond Like Carbon Thin Film Forming Device Provided with the Same,” which published on Jan. 31, 1992 as JP 04-028856; Japanese Patent Application Number 2000-214258, filed on Jul. 14, 2000, entitled “Solar Cell and Panel Thereof,” which published on Jan. 31, 2002 as JP 2002-33497 A; Japanese Patent Application Number 2000-281411, filed on Sep. 18, 2000, entitled “Carbon Material for Solar Cell and Solar Cell,” which published on Mar. 29, 2002 as JP 2002-94097 A; Japanese Patent Application Number 2002-6031, filed on Jan. 15, 2002, entitled “Carbon Photoelectric Element and Its Manufacturing Method, which published on Jul. 25, 2003 as JP 2003-209270 A; and U.S. Patent Application Publication Number US 2005/0275330, entitled “Diamond-like Carbon Thermoelectric Conversion Devices and Methods for the Use and Manufacture Thereof.”

Described herein are methods of manufacturing a semiconducting device. In an embodiment, the method comprises forming a first polymer layer over a substrate, forming a second polymer layer over the substrate, pyrolyzing the first polymer layer under substantially nonoxidizing conditions to transform the first polymer layer into an n-type semiconducting layer, and pyrolyzing the second polymer layer under substantially nonoxidizing conditions to transform the second polymer layer into a p-type semiconducting layer. In an embodiment, the first polymer layer comprises nitrogen and carbon. In an embodiment, the second polymer layer comprises aromatic and aliphatic functional groups.

The order and positioning of forming the first and second layers can vary. For example, the first layer can be formed over the second layer or the second layer can be formed over the first layer. Additionally, the order of pyrolyzing the first and second polymer layers into respective n-type and p-type semiconducting layers can also vary. In an embodiment, the first polymer layer is pyrolyzed before the second polymer layer is pyrolyzed. In an embodiment, the second polymer layer is pyrolyzed before the first polymer layer is pyrolyzed. In an embodiment, the first and second polymer layers are pyrolyzed during the course of the same pyrolyzation processing step.

Described herein are semiconductor devices. In an embodiment, the semiconductor device is manufactured according to the methods described herein. In an embodiment, the semiconductor device comprises a substrate, an n-type semiconducting layer positioned over the substrate, and a p-type semiconducting layer positioned over the substrate. In an embodiment, the n-type semiconducting layer comprises a pyrolyzed carbon- and nitrogen-containing polymer. In an embodiment, the p-type semiconducting layer comprises a pyrolyzed aromatic- and aliphatic-group-containing polymer. Either the n-type semiconducting layer is formed over the p-type semiconducting layer or the p-type semiconducting layer is formed over the n-type semiconducting layer.

An embodiment provides a semiconducting device that comprises a substrate, an n-type semiconducting layer positioned over the substrate, wherein the n-type semiconducting layer comprises (i) a pyrolyzed carbon- and nitrogen-containing polymer or (ii) a pyrolyzed aromatic- and aliphatic-group-containing polymer, and a p-type semiconducting layer positioned over the substrate, wherein the p-type semiconducting layer comprises (i) a pyrolyzed carbon- and nitrogen-containing polymer or (ii) a pyrolyzed aromatic- and aliphatic-group-containing polymer. In an embodiment, the n-type semiconducting layer comprises nitrogen and carbon. In an embodiment, the p-type semiconducting layer comprises aromatic and aliphatic functional groups

An embodiment described herein provides a method of manufacturing a semiconducting device that comprises forming a first polymer layer over a substrate, wherein the first polymer layer comprises (i) nitrogen and carbon or (ii) aromatic and aliphatic functional groups and forming a second polymer layer over the substrate, wherein the second polymer layer comprises (i) nitrogen and carbon or (ii) aromatic and aliphatic functional groups.

In an embodiment, one of the first or second polymer layers is pyrolyzed under substantially nonoxidizing conditions sufficient to transform the first or second polymer layer into a p-type semiconducting layer. In an embodiment, the other polymer is pyrolyzed under substantially nonoxidizing conditions sufficient to transform the other polymer layer into an n-type semiconducting layer. In an embodiment, the first polymer layer comprises nitrogen and carbon. In an embodiment, the second polymer layer comprises aromatic and aliphatic functional groups. Further described herein are semiconducting devices made according to the any of the described methods.

In an embodiment, after forming the first and second polymer layers that comprise either (i) nitrogen and carbon or (ii) aromatic and aliphatic functional groups, the method comprises pyrolyzing the first polymer layer under substantially nonoxidizing conditions, and measuring to confirm that the first polymer layer is either is an n-type or p-type carrier. In an embodiment, the second polymer is pyrolyzed under substantially nonoxidizing conditions and then measured to confirm that the second polymer layer is a carrier type that is different than the carrier type of the first polymer layer.

Further described herein are semiconducting devices made according to the any of the described methods.

Also described herein are semiconducting layers. In an embodiment, an n-type semiconducting layer is made by a process that comprises pyrolyzing a polymer layer, wherein the polymer layer comprises nitrogen and carbon. In an embodiment, a p-type semiconducting layer is made by a process that comprises pyrolyzing a polymer layer, wherein the polymer layer comprises aromatic and aliphatic functional groups. In an embodiment, an n-type silicon semiconducting layer is combined with a pyrolyzed carbon-containing p-type semiconducting layer. In an embodiment, a p-type silicon semiconducting layer is combined with a pyrolyzed carbon-containing n-type semiconducting layer.

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