Production Method of Group III Nitride Semiconductor Element

• US 20090140286A1
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Showa Denko KK (Resonac Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Showa Denko KK (Resonac Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Takeda, Hitoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/886,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20090140286A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/103
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• 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 21/02573 Conductivity type
• 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 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/04 MOCVD or MOVPE
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element having an excellent electrostatic discharge property and enhanced reliability.

In the inventive production method, the Group III nitride semiconductor element has an n-type layer, an active layer and a p-type layer, which comprise a Group III nitride semiconductor, on a substrate in this order, wherein, during or/and after growth of the n-type layer and before growth of the active layer, the growth rate of the semiconductor is reduced.

Claims

1. A production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element having, on a substrate, in this order, an n-type layer, an active layer and a p-type layer which comprise a Group III nitride semiconductor, wherein, during or/and after growth of the n-type layer and before growth of the active layer, a growth rate of the semiconductor is reduced.

2. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein a reduced growth rate of the Group III nitride semiconductor is less than 1 μ

m/hr.

3. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 2, wherein a growth of the semiconductor is interrupted (the reduced growth rate is 0).

4. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 3, wherein an atmosphere during the interruption comprises a nitrogen source and a carrier gas.

5. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the n-type layer contains an n-type contact layer and an n-type clad layer, and said n-type clad layer contains In.

6. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 5, wherein a growth rate of the semiconductor is reduced before growth of the n-type clad layer.

7. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 6, wherein, after growth of the n-type contact layer and before growth of the n-type clad layer, the growth of the semiconductor is interrupted.

8. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein a time period for reducing the growth rate is not less than 30 seconds and not more than 4 hours.

9. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the reduced-growth-rate layer, in which a growth rate of the semiconductor is reduced, is not more than 100 nm.

10. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein a substrate temperature during reducing the growth rate is not lower than a substrate temperature in the course of growth of an n-type layer immediately before the growth rate is reduced.

11. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein the substrate temperature during reducing the growth rate is 900 to 1400°

C.

12. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1, wherein a carrier gas is a hydrogen-containing gas.

13. The production method of a Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1, a flow rate of a nitrogen source is 1 to 20 litter/min.

14. A Group III nitride semiconductor element produced by the production method according to claim 1.

15. A Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device, wherein the Group III nitride semiconductor element according to claim 14 is provided with both a negative electrode on the n-type layer and a positive electrode on the p-type layer.