Method and apparatus for growing GaN bulk single crystals

• US 20070277731A1
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Corning Precision Materials Company Limited (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Corning Company Limited (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Han, Jal-Yong
• Application Number:
  US11/806,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20070277731A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 117/100
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/12 Substrate holders or susceptors
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/406 Gallium nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 35/00 Apparatus not otherwise provided for, specially adapted for the growth, production or after-treatment of single crystals or of a homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1008 with responsive control means

Abstract

Provided a method and an apparatus for growing high-quality GaN bulk single crystals without causing cracks. The method of growing GaN bulk single crystals includes providing a susceptor in a reaction chamber, providing a seed-accommodating portion having a given depth on an upper surface of the susceptor, providing GaN seeds on a bottom surface of the seed-accommodating portion so that only an upper surface of the GaN seeds is exposed, growing GaN bulk single crystals on the GaN seeds; and cooling the grown GaN bulk single crystals and separating the GaN bulk single crystals from the seed-accommodating portion.

Claims

1. A method of growing GaN bulk single crystals, the method comprising:

providing a susceptor in a reaction chamber;

providing a seed-accommodating portion having a given depth on an upper surface of the susceptor; and

providing GaN seeds on a bottom surface of the seed-accommodating portion so that only an upper surface of the GaN seeds is exposed;

growing GaN bulk single crystals on the GaN seeds; and

cooling the grown GaN bulk single crystals and separating the GaN bulk single crystals from the seed-accommodating portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a depth of the seed-accommodating portion is within ±

50% of a thickness of the GaN seeds.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a depth of the seed-accommodating portion is 500 μ

m.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance between an inner wall of the seed-accommodating portion and the GaN seeds is between 100 μ

m and 10 mm.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the seed-accommodating portion has one of a circular shape, an oval shape, and a polygonal shape, and the seed-accommodating portion and the GaN seeds have the same shape.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the susceptor is formed of a material which has heat resistance and does not react with GaN.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the susceptor is formed of a silicon carbide (SiC) or SiO₂ coated graphite.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the growing of the GaN bulk single crystals comprises:

removing oxygen in the reaction chamber by flowing N₂ from the reaction chamber; and

supplying an NH₃ gas and a GaCl gas as source gases into the reaction chamber while keeping a temperature of the reaction chamber at 1000°

C.-1100°

C.

9. An apparatus for growing GaN bulk single crystals, the apparatus comprising:

a reaction chamber, and

a susceptor in the reaction chamber; and

a seed-accommodating portion having a given depth on an upper surface of the susceptor, so that when GaN seeds are provided on a bottom surface of the seed-accommodating portion, only an upper surface of GaN seeds within the reaction chamber is exposed.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a depth of the seed-accommodating unit is within ±

50% of a thickness of the GaN seeds.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a depth of the seed-accommodating portion is 500 μ

m.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a distance between an inner wall of the seed-accommodating portion and the GaN seeds is between 100 μ

m and 10 mm.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the seed-accommodating portion has one of a circular shape, an oval shape, and a polygonal shape, and the seed-accommodating portion and the GaN seeds have the same shape.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the susceptor is formed of a material which has heat resistance and does not react with GaN.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the susceptor is formed of a silicon carbide (SiC) or SiO₂ coated graphite.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a first gas inlet tube supplying an NH₃ gas into the reaction chamber;

a second gas inlet tube supplying an N₂ gas into the reaction chamber;

a third gas inlet tube supplying an HCl gas into the reaction chamber;

a gallium source storing unit connected to the third gas inlet tube; and

a gas exhaustion tube exhausting a gas in the reaction chamber.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the seed-accommodating portion is part of the susceptor.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the seed-accommodating portion is a separate unit from the susceptor.