In this paper recent advances pertinent to the applications of thermodiffusion or thermomigration in the fabrication of micro and nano metal-doped semiconductor-based patterns and devices are reviewed and discussed. In thermomigration, a spot, line, or layer of a p-type dopant, such as aluminum, which is deposited on a semiconductor surface, penetrates into the semiconductor body due to the presence of a temperature gradient applied across the wafer body. The trails of p-doped regions within an n-type semiconductor, in the form of columns or walls, may be used for several applications, such as the isolation of a part of a semiconductor device, the formation of conductive channels within a silicon block, the fabrication of three-dimensional arrays for biological applications, manufacturing of solar cells, manipulation of material properties, and so on.
Keywords
Thermomigration, Thermodiffusion, Soret effect, Semiconductor devices, Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), Nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS), Solar cells, P-n junctions, Three-dimensional arrays, Opto-electronic sensors
Cite This Article
Eslamian, M., Saghir, M. Z. (2012). Thermodiffusion Applications in MEMS, NEMS and Solar Cell Fabrication by Thermal Metal Doping of Semiconductors. FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, 8(4), 353–380.
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