Epitaxially grown silicon layers with relatively long minority carrier lifetimes

A semiconductor device such as a film or hybrid integrated circuit is provided having a relatively lightly doped, epitaxially grown silicon layer with a relatively long minority carrier lifetime. The lightly doped silicon layer of less than about 1x1017 per cm3 is grown on a heavily doped silicon layer of greater than about 1x1019 and preferably greater than about 1x1020 per cm3 formed with phosphorus or boron impurity. The heavily doped silicon layer is preferably formed, either in a semiconductor body or an epitaxial layer on an insulator substrate, preferably by diffusing the impurity into the body or epitaxial layer. Preferably, the semiconductor device is a thin-film device and most desirably a silicon-on-sapphire device.