Group III nitride compound semiconductor devices and method for fabricating the same

• US 20060060866A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tezen, Yuta
• Granted Patent: US 7,462,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02639 Preparation of substrate for selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02647 Lateral overgrowth
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0265 Pendeoepitaxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/025 Physical imperfections, e.g. particular concentration or distribution of impurities
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/12 Pendeo epitaxial lateral overgrowth [ELOG], e.g. for growing GaN based blue laser diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0213 Sapphire, quartz or diamond based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP

Abstract

A sapphire substrate 1 is etched so that each trench has a width of 10 μm and a depth of 10 μm were formed at 10 μm of intervals in a stripe pattern. Next, an AlN buffer layer 2 having a thickness of approximately 40 nm is formed mainly on the upper surface and the bottom surface of the trenches of the substrate 1. Then a GaN layer 3 is formed through vertical and lateral epitaxial growth. At this time, lateral epitaxial growth of the buffer layer 21, which was mainly formed on the upper surface of the trenches, filled the trenches and thus establishing a flat top surface. The portions of the GaN layer 3 formed above the top surfaces of the mesas having a depth of 10 μm exhibited significant suppression of threading dislocation in contrast to the portions formed above the bottoms of the trenches.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor device, comprising:

a substrate, including a post and a trench, which includes at least one structure of a dot-like structure, a stripe-shaped structure, and a grid-like structure at its surface.

16. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor device according to claim 14, further comprising a buffer layer formed on said post and trench of said substrate.

22. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 16, further comprising a Group III nitride compound semiconductor formed on said buffer layer.

15. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a substrate, including a post and a trench, which includes at least one structure of a dot-like structure, a stripe-shaped structure, and a grid-like structure at its surface.

17. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 15, further comprising a buffer layer formed on said post and trench of said substrate.

23. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising a Group III nitride compound semiconductor formed on said buffer layer.

18. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor device, comprising:

a substrate, having a trench/post or trench/mesa on the surface of said substrate.

20. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 18, further comprising a buffer layer formed on said post and trench of said substrate.

24. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 20, further comprising a Group III nitride compound semiconductor formed on said buffer layer.

19. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a substrate, having a trench/post or trench/mesa on the surface of said substrate.

21. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 19, further comprising a buffer layer formed on said post and trench of said substrate.

25. A Group III nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting semiconductor device according to claim 21, further comprising a Group III nitride compound semiconductor formed on said buffer layer.