Methods and apparatus for a semiconductor device

• US 20030087461A1
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cao, Xian-an, LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Walker, Danielle Marie, Stokes, Edward Brittain
• Granted Patent: US 6,841,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0095 Post-treatment of devices, e.g. annealing, recrystallisation or short-circuit elimination
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/305 characterised by the doping materials

Abstract

A method for increasing carrier concentration in a semiconductor includes providing a group III nitride semiconductor device, determining a wavelength that increases carrier concentration in the semiconductor device, and directing at least one infrared light source, at the determined wavelength, into a semiconductor device excitation band.

Claims

1. A method for determining a wavelength to improve carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

providing a group III nitride semiconductor device;

irradiating the semiconductor device with a broad band light source to generate a semiconductor device response, wherein the semiconductor device response comprises at least one of a photocurrent in a p-type layer and an electroluminescence emission from a light emitting device; and

identifying at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the semiconductor device based on at least one of the photocurrent and the electroluminescence emission.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor light emitting device (LED).

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the semiconductor light emitting device comprises an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) heterostructure LED.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the semiconductor device comprises a laser diode.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein identifying at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device comprises identifying at least one wavelength having an energy between approximately 50 milli-electron volts and approximately 1000 milli-electron volts.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein identifying at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device comprises identifying at least one wavelength having an energy approximately twenty percent of a bandgap width of the semiconductor device.

7. A method for determining a wavelength to improve carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

providing a group III nitride semiconductor device, wherein said semiconductor device comprises a laser diode and an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) light emitting diode (LED);

irradiating the semiconductor device with a laser to generate a semiconductor device response, wherein the semiconductor device response comprises at least one of a photocurrent and an electroluminescence emission; and

analyzing at least one of the photocurrent and the electroluminescence emission with a mathematical algorithm to identify at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device, wherein said wavelength has an energy between approximately 50 milli-electron volts and approximately 1000 milli-electron volts.

8. A method for increasing carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

providing a group III nitride semiconductor device;

determining a wavelength that increases carrier concentration in the semiconductor device; and

directing at least one infrared light source, at the determined wavelength, into a semiconductor device excitation band.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein determining a wavelength to improve carrier concentration in the semiconductor device comprises:

irradiating the semiconductor device with a broad band light source to generate a semiconductor device response, wherein the semiconductor device response comprises at least one of a photocurrent and an electroluminescence emission; and

analyzing at least one of the photocurrent and the electroluminescence emission with a mathematical algorithm to identify at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein directing at least one infrared light source comprises directing a laser, at the determined wavelength, into a semiconductor device acceptor excitation band.

11. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor light emitting device (LED).

12. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the semiconductor light emitting device comprises an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) LED.

13. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the semiconductor device comprises a laser diode.

14. A method for increasing carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

providing a group III nitride semiconductor device, wherein said semiconductor device comprises a laser diode and an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) heterostructure light emitting diode (LED);

irradiating the semiconductor device with a broad band light source to generate a semiconductor device response, wherein the semiconductor device response comprises at least one of a photocurrent and an electroluminescence emission;

analyzing at least one of the photocurrent emission and the electroluminescence emission with a mathematical algorithm to identify at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device; and

directing a laser, at the determined wavelength, into a semiconductor device excitation band.

15. An apparatus for increasing carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said apparatus comprising:

a group III nitride semiconductor device; and

at least one infrared radiation source optically coupled to said semiconductor device.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said infrared radiation source optically coupled to said semiconductor device comprises optically coupling said radiation source to said semiconductor device at a predetermined wavelength.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 16 wherein said predetermined wavelength has an energy level corresponding to an acceptor ionization in said semiconductor device.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 17 wherein said wavelength energy level is between approximately 50 milli-electron volts and approximately 1000 milli-electron volts.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 17 wherein said wavelength energy level is approximately twenty percent of a bandgap width of said semiconductor device.

20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said bandgap width is greater than 1.5 electron volts.

21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor light emitting device (LED).

22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said semiconductor light emitting device further comprises an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) heterostructure LED.

23. An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said semiconductor device comprises a laser diode.

24. An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said infrared radiation source comprises a laser.

25. An apparatus for increasing carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said apparatus comprising:

a group III nitride semiconductor device comprising an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) light emitting device (LED) and a laser diode; and

at least one laser optically coupled to said semiconductor device at a predetermined wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in said semiconductor device.