Silicon-carbon composite materials and related processes are disclosed that overcome the challenges for providing amorphous nano-sized silicon entrained within porous carbon. Compared to other, inferior materials and processes described in the prior art, the materials and processes disclosed herein find superior utility in various applications, including energy storage devices such as lithium ion batteries.

Silicon-carbon composite materials and related processes are disclosed that overcome the challenges for providing amorphous nano-sized silicon entrained within porous carbon. Compared to other, inferior materials and processes described in the prior art, the materials and processes disclosed herein find superior utility in various applications, including energy storage devices such as lithium ion batteries.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor silicon wafer capable of inhibiting P-aggregation defects (Si-P defects) and SF in an epitaxial layer. The method includes a step of forming a silicon oxide film with a thickness of at least 300 nm or thicker only on the backside of the silicon wafer substrate by the CVD method at a temperature of 500° C. or lower after the step of forming the silicon oxide film, a step of heat treatment where the substrate is kept in an oxidizing atmosphere at a constant temperature of 1100° C. or higher and 1250° C. or lower for 30 minutes or longer and 120 minutes or shorter after the heat treatment, a step of removing surface oxide film formed on the front surface of the substrate, and a step of depositing a silicon monocrystalline epitaxial layer on the substrate after the step of removing the surface oxide film.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor silicon wafer capable of inhibiting P-aggregation defects (Si-P defects) and SF in an epitaxial layer. The method includes a step of forming a silicon oxide film with a thickness of at least 300 nm or thicker only on the backside of the silicon wafer substrate by the CVD method at a temperature of 500° C. or lower after the step of forming the silicon oxide film, a step of heat treatment where the substrate is kept in an oxidizing atmosphere at a constant temperature of 1100° C. or higher and 1250° C. or lower for 30 minutes or longer and 120 minutes or shorter after the heat treatment, a step of removing surface oxide film formed on the front surface of the substrate, and a step of depositing a silicon monocrystalline epitaxial layer on the substrate after the step of removing the surface oxide film.

Provided are a method of selectively etching a film primarily containing Si, such as polycrystalline silicon (Poly-Si), single crystal silicon (single crystal Si), or amorphous silicon (a-Si) as well as a method for cleaning by removing a Si-based deposited and/or attached matter inside a sample chamber of a film forming apparatus, such as a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus, without damaging the apparatus interior.

By simultaneously introducing a monofluoro interhalogen gas (XF, where X is any of Cl, Br, and I) and nitric oxide (NO) into an etching or a film forming apparatus, followed by thermal excitation, it is possible to selectively and rapidly etch a Si-based film, such as Poly-Si, single crystal Si, or a-Si, while decreasing the etching rate of SiN and/or SiO.sub.2. It is also possible to perform cleaning by removing a Si-based deposited and/or attached matter inside a film forming apparatus, such as a CVD apparatus, without damaging the apparatus interior.

Provided are a method of selectively etching a film primarily containing Si, such as polycrystalline silicon (Poly-Si), single crystal silicon (single crystal Si), or amorphous silicon (a-Si) as well as a method for cleaning by removing a Si-based deposited and/or attached matter inside a sample chamber of a film forming apparatus, such as a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus, without damaging the apparatus interior.

By simultaneously introducing a monofluoro interhalogen gas (XF, where X is any of Cl, Br, and I) and nitric oxide (NO) into an etching or a film forming apparatus, followed by thermal excitation, it is possible to selectively and rapidly etch a Si-based film, such as Poly-Si, single crystal Si, or a-Si, while decreasing the etching rate of SiN and/or SiO.sub.2. It is also possible to perform cleaning by removing a Si-based deposited and/or attached matter inside a film forming apparatus, such as a CVD apparatus, without damaging the apparatus interior.

Various embodiments and configurations of optical imaging systems are described herein that utilize a metalens for narrowband deflection of target frequencies. For example, one embodiment of a multifrequency metalens includes an in-plane spatially multiplexed array of frequency-specific nanopillars or frequency-specific rows/columns of nanopillars that are intermingled with one another. In other embodiments, transmissive metalenses and/or reflective metalenses are tuned to focus color-separated visible light into red, green, and blue (RGB) channels of a digital image sensor.

Various embodiments and configurations of optical imaging systems are described herein that utilize a metalens for narrowband deflection of target frequencies. For example, one embodiment of a multifrequency metalens includes an in-plane spatially multiplexed array of frequency-specific nanopillars or frequency-specific rows/columns of nanopillars that are intermingled with one another. In other embodiments, transmissive metalenses and/or reflective metalenses are tuned to focus color-separated visible light into red, green, and blue (RGB) channels of a digital image sensor.

A method and a wafer processing furnace for forming a doped polysilicon layer on a plurality of substrates is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises providing a plurality of substrates to a process chamber. It also comprises executing a deposition cycle comprising providing a silicon-containing precursor to the process chamber thereby depositing, on the plurality of substrates, an undoped silicon layer until a pre-determined thickness is reached and providing the process chamber with a flow of a dopant precursor gas without providing the silicon-containing precursor to the process chamber. The method also comprises performing a heat treatment process, thereby forming the doped polysilicon layer.

A film forming method includes: preparing a substrate having a recess within a processing container; forming a silicon-containing film on the substrate by activating a silicon-containing gas with plasma and supplying the activated silicon-containing gas to the substrate; partially modifying the silicon-containing film after the silicon-containing film closes an opening of the recess; and selectively etching the modified silicon-containing film.