TECHNIQUE FOR THE GROWTH OF PLANAR SEMI-POLAR GALLIUM NITRIDE

• US 20100133663A1
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Speck, James S., Nakamua, Shuji, Baker, Troy J., DenBaars, Steven P., Haskell, Benjamin A., Fini, Paul T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,128,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/628
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/02 Epitaxial-layer growth
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/18 characterised by the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/406 Gallium nitride
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02433 Crystal orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02658 Pretreatments cleaning in general H01L21/02041
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/938 Lattice strain control or utilization

Abstract

A method for growing planar, semi-polar nitride film on a miscut spinel substrate, in which a large area of the planar, semi-polar nitride film is parallel to the substrate'"'"'s surface. The planar films and substrates are: (1) {10 11} gallium nitride (GaN) grown on a {100} spinel substrate miscut in specific directions, (2) {10 13 } gallium nitride (GaN) grown on a {110} spinel substrate, (3) {11 22} gallium nitride (GaN) grown on a {1 100} sapphire substrate, and (4) {10 13} gallium nitride (GaN) grown on a {1 100} sapphire substrate

Claims

1. A nitride film, comprising:

a semi-polar nitride film grown on a semi-polar plane of a substrate, such that a surface of the semi-polar nitride film is planar and parallel to a surface of the semi-polar plane of the substrate.

2. The film of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar film reduces polarization in device layers grown on the semi-polar film as compared to device layers grown on a c-plane polar nitride film, the polarization resulting from the device layers and the films having dissimilar compositions and therefore different lattice constants.

3. The film of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {10-11} nitride, {10-13} nitride, {10-14} nitride, {11-22} nitride, or {20-21} nitride.

4. The film of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a semi-polar substrate.

5. The film of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a {100} substrate miscut in specific directions to create the surface of the semi-polar plane of the substrate, and the specific directions comprise <

001>

, <

010>

or <

011>

.

6. The film of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {10-11} nitride grown on a (100) spinel substrate miscut in specific directions, and the specific directions comprise <

001>

, <

010> and

<

011>

.

7. The film of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {10-13} nitride grown on a {110} spinel substrate.

8. The film of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {10-13} nitride grown on a {1-100} sapphire substrate.

9. The film of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {11-22} nitride grown on a {1-100} sapphire substrate.

10. A method for growing a nitride film, comprising:

growing a semi-polar nitride film on a semi-polar plane of a substrate, such that a surface of the semi-polar nitride film is planar and parallel to a surface of the semi-polar plane of the substrate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the semi-polar film reduces polarization in device layers grown on the semi-polar film as compared to device layers grown on a c-plane polar nitride film, the polarization resulting from the device layers and the films having dissimilar compositions and therefore different lattice constants.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {10-11} nitride, {10-13} nitride, {10-14} nitride, {11-22} nitride, or {20-21} nitride.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the substrate is a semi-polar substrate.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the substrate is a {100} substrate miscut in specific directions to create the surface of the semi-polar plane of the substrate, and the specific directions comprise <

001>

, <

010>

or <

011>

.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {10-11} nitride grown on a (100) spinel substrate miscut in specific directions, and the specific directions comprise <

001>

, <

010> and

<

011>

.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {10-13} nitride grown on a {110} spinel substrate.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {10-13} nitride grown on a {1-100} sapphire substrate.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the semi-polar nitride film is a {11-22} nitride grown on a {1-100} sapphire substrate.