Methods for using remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (RP-CVD) and sputtering deposition to grow layers in light emitting devices

• US 10,236,409 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumileds LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lumileds LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wildeson, Isaac, Deb, Parijat, Nelson, Erik Charles, Kobayashi, Junko
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodela, Eduardo A
• Application Number:
  US15/600,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02266 deposition by physical ablation of a target, e.g. sputtering, reactive sputtering, physical vapour deposition or pulsed laser deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02271 deposition by decomposition or reaction of gaseous or vapour phase compounds, i.e. chemical vapour deposition H01L21/02266 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0228 deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE, pulsed CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02576 N-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02579 P-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02631 Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66151 Tunnel diodes group 13/15 resonant tunneling diodes H01L29/66219
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66219 with a heterojunction, e.g. resonant tunneling diodes [RTD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/88 Tunnel-effect diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/882 Resonant tunneling diodes, i.e. RTD, RTBD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0025 comprising only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/005 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0062 for devices with an active region comprising only III-V compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0075 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0095 Post-treatment of devices, e.g. annealing, recrystallisation or short-circuit elimination
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/02 : characterised by the semiconductor bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/04 : with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 : within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/325 : characterised by the doping materials

Abstract

Described herein are methods for using remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (RP-CVD) and sputtering deposition to grow layers for light emitting devices. A method includes growing a light emitting device structure on a growth substrate, and growing a tunnel junction on the light emitting device structure using at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition. The tunnel junction includes a p++ layer in direct contact with a p-type region, where the p++ layer is grown by using at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition. Another method for growing a device includes growing a p-type region over a growth substrate using at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition, and growing further layers over the p-type region. Another method for growing a device includes growing a light emitting region and an n-type region using at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition over a p-type region.

Claims

1. A method for growing a light emitting device, the method comprising:

growing a light emitting device structure on a growth substrate, the light emitting device structure including a n-type region, a light emitting region and a p-type region stacked together; and

growing at least a portion of a layer of a tunnel junction on the light emitting device structure by using at least one of remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (RP-CVD) and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p-type region,

the light emitting device structure being grown on the growth substrate using a non-RP-CVD and non-sputtering deposition process.

2. The method of claim 1, the growing the tunnel junction further comprising:

directly contacting a p++ layer with the p-type region, wherein the p++ layer is more heavily doped than the p-type region; and

contacting a n++ layer with the p++ layer, wherein the portion of the layer is the p++ layer,

the light emitting device structure and tunnel junction being made of III-nitride material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the n++ layer is grown by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p++ layer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the growing the light emitting device structure further comprises;

growing the n-type region, the light emitting layer, and the p-type region by metal organic chemical vapor deposition;

annealing the n-type region, the III-nitride light emitting layer, and the p-type region; and

the growing at least a portion of the layer of the tunnel junction further comprises;

after said annealing, growing the p++ layer on the p-type region, wherein the layer is the p++ layer.

5. The method of claim 2, the tunnel junction further comprising an additional layer disposed between the p++ layer and the n++ layer, the additional layer having a different composition from either the p++ layer or the n++ layer.

6. The method of claim 1, the growing the light emitting device structure further comprising:

growing the n-type region, the light emitting region, and a first portion of the p-type region by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD);

annealing the n-type region, the light emitting region, and the first portion of the p-type region; and

after said annealing, growing a second portion of the p-type region by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the first portion of the p-type region and the second portion of the p-type region.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a first metal contact in direct contact with the n-type region and a second metal contact in direct contact with the n-type contact layer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

growing another light emitting device structure on the tunnel junction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a reduced hydrogen environment is a hydrogen-free environment.

10. The method of claim 1, the growing the tunnel junction further comprising:

directly contacting a p++ layer with the p-type region, wherein the layer is the p++ layer and the p++ layer is more heavily doped than the p-type region, at least a portion of the p++ layer being grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD);

annealing at least the portion of the p++ layer; and

directly contacting a n++ layer with the p++ layer, the n++ layer being grown by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p++ layer.

11. A method for growing a device, comprising:

growing a p-type region over a growth substrate by at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p-type region;

growing a light emitting region over the p-type region; and

growing an n-type region over the light emitting region using a non-RP-CVD and non-sputtering deposition process,

the p-type region, the light emitting region and the n-type region being made from III-nitride materials.

12. The method of claim 11, the growth substrate comprising a non-III-nitride material and a GaN film disposed on the non-III-nitride material, the method further comprising:

growing the GaN film by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).

13. The method of claim 11, the growth substrate comprising a non-III-nitride material and a GaN film disposed on the non-III-nitride material, the method further comprising:

growing the GaN film by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition.

14. The method of claim 11, the growing the light emitting region over the p-type region comprising growing a first portion of the light emitting region by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p-type region and growing a second portion of the light emitting region by MOCVD.

15. The method of claim 11, the growing the light emitting region over the p-type region comprising growing the light emitting region by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p-type region.

16. The method of claim 15, the growing the n-type region over the light emitting region comprising growing a portion of the n-type region by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition.

17. The method of claim 11, the growing the light emitting region over the p-type region comprising growing the light emitting region by MOCVD.

18. The method of claim 11, the growing the n-type region over the light emitting region comprising growing the n-type region by MOCVD.

19. A method for growing a device, comprising:

growing a p-type region over a growth substrate;

growing a light emitting region over the p-type region; and

growing a portion of an n-type region over the light emitting region,

at least a portion of at least one of the light emitting region and a remaining portion the n-type region being grown by at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p-type region.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

annealing the p-type region after growing the p-type region by MOCVD.

21. The method of claim 19, the p-type region, the light emitting region and the n-type region being made from III-nitride materials.

22. A light emitting device comprising:

a growth substrate;

a light emitting device structure grown on the growth substrate, the light emitting device structure including a n-type region, a light emitting region and a p-type region stacked together; and

at least a portion of a layer of a tunnel junction grown on the light emitting device structure with at least one of remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (RP-CVD) and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p-type region.

23. The light emitting device of claim 22, the tunnel junction further comprising:

a p++ layer directly contacting the p-type region, wherein the p++ layer is more heavily doped than the p-type region; and

a n++ layer directly contacting the p++ layer, wherein the portion of the layer is the p++,

the light emitting device structure and tunnel junction being made from III-nitride material.

24. The light emitting device of claim 23, a portion of the n++ layer being grown by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p++ layer.

25. The light emitting device of claim 23, the layer is the p++ layer being grown on the p-type region by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p-type region grown by MOCVD after annealing of the n-type region, the light emitting layer, and the p-type region that were grown by MOCVD.

26. The light emitting device of claim 23, further comprising:

another light emitting device structure grown on the tunnel junction.

27. The light emitting device of claim 23, the tunnel junction further comprising:

an additional layer disposed between the p++ layer and the n++ layer, the additional layer having a different composition from either the p++ layer or the n++ layer.

28. The light emitting device of claim 22, the light emitting device structure being grown by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition.

29. The light emitting device of claim 22, the p-type region including a first portion and a second portion:

the n-type region, the light emitting region, and the first portion being grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD); and

the second portion being grown by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the first portion after annealing the n-type region, the light emitting region, and the first portion.

30. The light emitting device of claim 22, further comprising:

a portion of an n-type contact layer grown over a n++ layer by the at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least a p++ layer;

a first metal contact formed in direct contact with the n-type region; and

a second metal contact formed in direct contact with the n-type contact layer.

31. The light emitting device of claim 22, further comprising:

a p++ layer directly contacting the p-type region, wherein the layer is the p++ layer and the p++ layer is more heavily doped than the p-type region, at least a portion of the p++ layer being grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD); and

a n++ layer directly contacting the p++ layer, the n++ layer being grown by at least one of RP-CVD and sputtering deposition in at least a reduced hydrogen environment that does not cause inoperability of at least the p++ layer after annealing the portion of the p++ layer.