FORMING SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURES INCLUDING ACTICATED ACCEPTORS IN BURIED P-TYPE GAN LAYERS
First Claim
1. A method for forming a semiconductor structure comprising:
- forming a Group III-V compound semiconductor layer doped with acceptors to form an acceptor-doped layer, a majority of acceptors being passivated by hydrogen in said acceptor-doped layer;
forming trenches in said acceptor-doped layer to expose sides of said acceptor-doped layer; and
annealing said acceptor-doped layer to out-diffuse hydrogen through said sides of said acceptor-doped layer exposed by said trenches to activate said acceptors to increase a hole density in said acceptor-doped layer and decrease a resistivity of said acceptor-doped layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To allow hydrogen to out-diffuse from a buried Group III-nitride compound semiconductor p-type layer, the wafer is etched to form trenches in the p-type layer to expose sides of the p-type layer. After the etch, the wafer is then annealed. The duration and temperature of the anneal depend upon the spacing of the exposed sides of the p-type layer and the thickness of the p-type layer. The hydrogen diffuses easily through the p-type layer and out the sides exposed by the trenches. The result is a buried p-type layer that is more highly conductive than had the trenches not been formed prior to the anneal. In another embodiment, a surface of an acceptor-doped Group III-V p-type layer is covered with an overlying n-type layer. A portion of the n-type layer is etched to expose the surface of the p-type layer. An anneal is then carried out to out-diffuse hydrogen from the exposed surface of the p-type layer to increase the conductivity of the p-type layer.
21 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for forming a semiconductor structure comprising:
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forming a Group III-V compound semiconductor layer doped with acceptors to form an acceptor-doped layer, a majority of acceptors being passivated by hydrogen in said acceptor-doped layer;
forming trenches in said acceptor-doped layer to expose sides of said acceptor-doped layer; and
annealing said acceptor-doped layer to out-diffuse hydrogen through said sides of said acceptor-doped layer exposed by said trenches to activate said acceptors to increase a hole density in said acceptor-doped layer and decrease a resistivity of said acceptor-doped layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27)
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15. A semiconductor structure comprising:
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a buried layer comprising an acceptor-doped Group III-V compound semiconductor layer;
at least one additional layer formed over at least a portion of a surface of said buried layer; and
at least one trench formed in said acceptor-doped layer to expose sides of said acceptor-doped layer, said acceptor-doped layer being annealed to out-diffuse hydrogen from said sides of said acceptor-doped layer to activate acceptors within said acceptor-doped layer to increase a hole density in said acceptor-doped layer and decrease a resistivity of said acceptor-doped layer.
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19. A semiconductor structure formed by a process comprising:
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forming a Group III-V compound semiconductor layer doped with acceptors to form an acceptor-doped layer, a majority of acceptors being passivated by hydrogen in said acceptor-doped layer;
forming a second layer overlying said acceptor-doped layer;
etching said second layer to expose a portion of said acceptor-doped layer; and
annealing said acceptor-doped layer to out-diffuse hydrogen at least through the exposed portion of said acceptor-doped layer to activate said acceptors to increase a hole density in said acceptor-doped layer and decrease a resistivity of said acceptor-doped layer.
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25. A method to reduce resistance of a Group III-V semiconductor buried layer comprising:
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forming a Group III-V compound semiconductor layer doped with acceptors to form an acceptor-doped layer, a majority of acceptors being passivated by hydrogen in said acceptor-doped layer;
forming a second layer overlying said acceptor-doped layer;
etching said second layer to expose a portion of said acceptor-doped layer; and
annealing said acceptor-doped layer to out-diffuse hydrogen at least through the exposed portion of said acceptor-doped layer to activate said acceptors to increase a hole density in said acceptor-doped layer and decrease a resistivity of said acceptor-doped layer.
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Specification