1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing semiconductor components wherein HF (hydrogen fluoride) soluble masking material is used. The components may be optoelectronic or electronic semiconductor components or laterally integrated semiconductor components wherein electrical and optoelectronic semiconductor components are individually used or combined.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known in the art that HF soluble layers on an epitaxial substrate, such as a semiconductor substrate, may be chemically (wet or dry) removed outside of an epitaxial reactor. By this method, laterally integrated components may be produced by selective epitaxy or heteroepitaxy.
In selective epitaxy, HF soluble layers are used for masking. Select layers are grown in the epitaxy reactor and thereafter, masked areas are chemically (wet or dry) removed outside of the reactor. For further integration's, additional lithographic steps would be necessary.
In heteroepitaxy, direct semiconductors (connection semiconductors) are applied on a silicon substrate. The natural oxide of the silicon, SiO2, which is created by the contact of the substrate with oxygen, produces considerable problems. To remove this SiO2 layer the substrate needs to be exposed to high temperatures in the order of approximately 900° C.
As such, in both methods, the substrate is removed from the reactor and exposed to ambient air. Accordingly, the substrate may be exposed to uncontrolled contamination. By multiple insertions and removals of the substrate into and from the reactor, the above processes become susceptible to faults, the gain of functional components decreases, and the production costs increase. For example, in heteroepitaxy electrical and optoelectrical components are integrated. In general, the electrical components already exist on the semiconductor substrate prior to the application of the optoelectronic components. During the high temperature step of removing the natural oxide of the silicon, at least the electrical components may be damaged.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds