Epitaxially grown silicon layers with relatively long minority carrier lifetimes

摘要

A semiconductor device such as a film or hybrid integrated circuit is provided having a relatively lightly doped, epitaxially grown silicon layer with a relatively long minority carrier lifetime. The lightly doped silicon layer of less than about 1×10.sup.17 per cm. sup.3 is grown on a heavily doped silicon layer of greater than about 1×10.sup.19 and preferably greater than about 1×10.sup.20 per cm.sup.3 formed with phosphorus or boron impurity. The heavily doped silicon layer is preferably formed, either in a semiconductor body or an epitaxial layer on an insulator substrate, preferably by diffusing the impurity into the body or epitaxial layer. Preferably, the semiconductor device is a thin- film device and most desirably a silicon-on-sapphire device.