N-Type Boron-Carbide Semiconductor Polytype and Method of Fabricating the Same

Authors

Peter A. Dowben, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Anthony N. Caruso, Lincoln, NEFollow
Yaroslav B. Losovyj, Louisiana State University at Baton RougeFollow

Date of this Version

8-10-2004

Comments

Patent No.: US 6,774,013 B2

Abstract

A non-doped n-type boron carbide semiconductor polytype and a method of fabricating the same is provided. The n-type boron carbide polytype may be used in a device for detecting neutrons, electric power conversion, and pulse counting. Such a device may include an n-type boron carbide layer coupled with a substrate where the boron carbide may be an electrically active part of the device. This n-type boron carbide layer may be fabricated through the use of closo-1, 7-dicarbadodecaborane (metacarborane). Specifically, the non-doped n-type polytype may be fabricated using SR-CVD by placing the substrate in a vacuum chamber, cooling the substrate, introducing metacarborane into the chamber, adsorbing the metacarborane onto the surface of the substrate through the use of incident X-ray radiation or electron beam irradiation, decomposing the adsorbed metacarborane, and allowing- the substrate to reach ambient temperature. The n-type polytype of the present invention mav also be fabricated bv PECVD.