Planarization of Gan by Photoresist Technique Using an Inductively Coupled Plasma
First Claim
1. A method for planarizing a surface of a III-nitride substrate or film, the surface comprising surface roughness features, the method comprising:
- coating the surface with a layer of sacrificial planarization material to cover the surface roughness features;
etching the sacrificial planarization material to expose the surface roughness features; and
simultaneously etching the sacrificial planarization material and the surface roughness features to reduce the height of the surface roughness features.
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Abstract
Films of III-nitride for semiconductor device growth are planarized using an etch-back method. The method includes coating a III-nitride surface having surface roughness features in the micron range with a sacrificial planarization material such as an appropriately chose photoresist. The sacrificial planarization material is then etched together with the III-nitride roughness features using dry etch methods such as inductivel coupled plasma reactive ion etching. By closely matching the etch rates of the sacrificial planarization material and the III-nitride material, a planarized III-nitride surface is achieved. The etch-back process together with a high temperature annealing process yields a planarize III-nitride surface with surface roughness features reduced to the nm range. Planarized III-nitride, e.g., GaN, substrates and devices containing them are also provided.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method for planarizing a surface of a III-nitride substrate or film, the surface comprising surface roughness features, the method comprising:
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coating the surface with a layer of sacrificial planarization material to cover the surface roughness features;
etching the sacrificial planarization material to expose the surface roughness features; andsimultaneously etching the sacrificial planarization material and the surface roughness features to reduce the height of the surface roughness features. - View Dependent Claims (2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 26, 32, 36, 37, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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3-9. -9. (canceled)
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16. (canceled)
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19-25. -25. (canceled)
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27-31. -31. (canceled)
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33-35. -35. (canceled)
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38-40. -40. (canceled)
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44. (canceled)
Specification