A method of processing and passivating an implanted workpiece is disclosed, wherein, after passivation, the fugitive emissions of the workpiece are reduced to acceptably low levels. This may be especially beneficial when phosphorus, arsine, germane or another toxic species is the dopant being implanted into the workpiece. In one embodiment, a sputtering process is performed after the implantation process. This sputtering process is used to sputter the dopant at the surface of the workpiece, effectively lowering the dopant concentration at the top surface of the workpiece. In another embodiment, a chemical etching process is performed to lower the dopant concentration at the top surface. After this sputtering or chemical etching process, a traditional passivation process can be performed.

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of broad buffer layers provided in a drift layer. Each of the plurality of the broad buffer layers has an impurity concentration exceeding that of a portion of the drift layer excluding the broad buffer layers, and has a mountain-shaped impurity concentration distribution in which a local maximum value is less than the impurity concentration of an anode layer and a cathode layer. The plurality of broad buffer layers are disposed at different depths from a first main surface of the drift layer, respectively, the number of broad buffer layers close to the first main surface from the intermediate position of the drift layer is at least one, and number of broad buffer layers close to a second main surface of the drift layer from the intermediate position of the drift layer is at least two. The broad buffer layer includes a hydrogen-related donor.

Diffusion of a group III material into an Si substrate is suppressed during the time when a group III nitride semiconductor layer is grown on the Si substrate, with an AlN buffer layer being interposed therebetween. A method for manufacturing a group III nitride semiconductor substrate comprises: a step for growing a first AlN buffer layer on an Si substrate; a step for growing a second AlN buffer layer on the first AlN buffer layer at a temperature higher than a growth temperature of the first AlN buffer layer; and a step for growing a group III nitride semiconductor layer on the second AlN buffer layer. The growth temperature of the first AlN buffer layer is 400-600° C.

A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes depositing a gate dielectric layer over a substrate. The substrate has a base portion and a first fin portion over the base portion, and the gate dielectric layer is over the first fin portion. The method includes forming a gate electrode layer over the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode layer includes fluorine. The method includes annealing the gate electrode layer and the gate dielectric layer so that fluorine from the gate electrode layer diffuses into the gate dielectric layer.

Systems and methods of the disclosed embodiments include reducing defects in a semiconductor layer. The defects may be reduced by forming the semiconductor layer on a substrate, removing at least a portion the substrate from an underside of the semiconductor layer, and annealing the semiconductor layer to reduce the defects in the layer. The annealing includes focusing energy at the layer.

Systems and methods of the disclosed embodiments include reducing defects in a semiconductor layer. The defects may be reduced by forming the semiconductor layer on a substrate, removing at least a portion the substrate from an underside of the semiconductor layer, and annealing the semiconductor layer to reduce the defects in the layer. The annealing includes focusing energy at the layer.

Semiconductor structures including electrical isolation and methods of forming a semiconductor structure including electrical isolation. Shallow trench isolation regions extend from a top surface of a semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate contains single-crystal semiconductor material, and the shallow trench isolation regions are positioned to surround an active device region of the semiconductor substrate. A polycrystalline layer is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The polycrystalline layer has a first section beneath the active device region and a second section beneath the plurality of shallow trench isolation regions. The first section of the polycrystalline layer is located at a different depth relative to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate than the second section of the polycrystalline layer.

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of broad buffer layers provided in a drift layer. Each of the plurality of the broad buffer layers has an impurity concentration exceeding that of a portion of the drift layer excluding the broad buffer layers, and has a mountain-shaped impurity concentration distribution in which a local maximum value is less than the impurity concentration of an anode layer and a cathode layer. The plurality of broad buffer layers are disposed at different depths from a first main surface of the drift layer, respectively, the number of broad buffer layers close to the first main surface from the intermediate position of the drift layer is at least one, and number of broad buffer layers close to a second main surface of the drift layer from the intermediate position of the drift layer is at least two. The broad buffer layer includes a hydrogen-related donor.

A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a substrate having a drift layer, metal wiring formed on an upper surface of the substrate, and an electrode formed on a back surface of the substrate, wherein the lifetime of carriers in the drift layer satisfies the following expression 1: [Expression 1]
1.510.sup.5 exp(5.410.sup.3t.sub.N)expression 1 : the lifetime of carriers in the drift layer t.sub.N: the layer thickness of the drift layer.

A method of fabricating a solar cell can include forming a dielectric region on a silicon substrate. The method can also include forming an emitter region over the dielectric region and forming a dopant region on a surface of the silicon substrate. In an embodiment, the method can include heating the silicon substrate at a temperature above 900 degrees Celsius to getter impurities to the emitter region and drive dopants from the dopant region to a portion of the silicon substrate.