Dopant ink compositions for forming doped regions in semiconductor substrates, and methods for fabricating dopant ink compositions

Abstract

Dopant ink compositions for forming doped regions in semiconductor substrates and methods for fabricating dopant ink compositions are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a dopant ink composition comprises a dopant compound including at least one alkyl group bonded to a Group 13 element. Further, the dopant ink composition includes a silicon-containing compound.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dopant ink composition comprising:
 a dopant-silicate carrier formed by a dopant compound and a silicon-containing compound, wherein the dopant compound includes at least one alkyl group bonded to a Group 13 element, and wherein the dopant compound and the silicon-containing compound are bonded together via a silicon-oxygen-dopant ion linkage; and   at least one solvent.   
     
     
         2 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is selected to formulate a product selected from the group consisting of inkjet ink, screen printing paste, and spin coating dopant. 
     
     
         3 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 1  wherein the dopant-silicate carrier and solvent form a non-aqueous mixture that is stable at room temperature for at least two weeks. 
     
     
         4 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 1  wherein the dopant compound is alkyl borate and has a molecular formula of:
   (R 1 O)B(OR 2 )(OR 3 ) 
 
       and wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  is a hydrogen or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         5 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 4  wherein each of R 1  and R 2  is a hydrocarbon group having 4 to 8 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         6 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 4  wherein R 1  is a hydrocarbon group having 4 to 8 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         7 . A dopant ink composition comprising:
 a dopant compound including at least one alkyl group bonded to a Group 13 element; and   a silicon-containing compound.   
     
     
         8 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  wherein the dopant compound is alkyl borate and has a molecular formula of:
   (R 1 O)B(OR 2 )(OR 3 ) 
 
       and wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  is a hydrogen or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         9 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  wherein each of R 1  and R 2  is a hydrocarbon group having 4 to 8 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         10 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  wherein R 1  is a hydrocarbon group having 4 to 8 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         11 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  wherein the silicon-containing compound has a molecular formula of:
   R 1 O(Si(OR) 2 O) n (M 1 M 2 SiO) m OR 2    
 
       wherein each of R, R 1 , and R 2  is a hydrogen or a carbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and wherein each of M 1  and M 2  is a hydrogen, a carbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a hydroxyl or alkoxyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         12 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 11  wherein the silicon-containing compound has a molecular weight of about 500 to about 50000. 
     
     
         13 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  further comprising a first solvent having a boiling point greater than 200° C. and a second solvent having a boiling point greater than 140° C. 
     
     
         14 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 13  wherein the first solvent is tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, and wherein the second solvent is diethylene glycol monomethyl ether. 
     
     
         15 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  further comprising a surfactant selected from the group consisting of silicone polyether acrylate, polyether siloxane copolymer, and polyether modified polydimethylsiloxane. 
     
     
         16 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  wherein the dopant compound and the silicon-containing compound are bonded together to form a carrier. 
     
     
         17 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  wherein the dopant compound and the silicon-containing compound are bonded together via silicon-oxygen-Group 13 element linkages. 
     
     
         18 . The dopant ink composition of  claim 7  wherein the Group 13 element is a boron ion, and wherein the dopant compound and the silicon-containing compound are bonded together via silicon-oxygen-boron linkages. 
     
     
         19 . A method for fabricating a dopant ink composition for forming doped regions in a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
 providing a dopant compound including at least one alkyl group bonded to a Group 13 element;   providing a silicon-containing compound; and   mixing the dopant compound and the silicon-containing compound and forming a dopant-silicate carrier including silicon-oxygen-dopant ion linkages.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the mixing step includes adding a solvent to form a non-aqueous mixture including the dopant-silicate carrier.