GROWTH OF PLANAR REDUCED DISLOCATION DENSITY M-PLANE GALLIUM NITRIDE BY HYDRIDE VAPOR PHASE EPITAXY

• US 20110193094A1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Japan Science & Technology Trading Co. Limited, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Japan Science & Technology Trading Co. Limited, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: DenBaars, Steven P., Haskell, Benjamin A., Nakamura, Shuji, McLaurin, Melvin B., Speck, James Stephen
• Application Number:
  US13/086,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20110193094A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/76
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02378 Silicon carbide
• 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 21/02609 Crystal orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02639 Preparation of substrate for selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02647 Lateral overgrowth

Abstract

A method of growing highly planar, fully transparent and specular m-plane gallium nitride (GaN) films. The method provides for a significant reduction in structural defect densities via a lateral overgrowth technique. High quality, uniform, thick m-plane GaN films are produced for use as substrates for polarization-free device growth.

Claims

1. A device having a structure that includes a lateral epitaxial overgrowth layer grown in a non-polar direction and having a top surface that is non-polar, the lateral epitaxial overgrowth layer comprising a non-polar III-nitride film.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization-free device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the lateral epitaxial overgrowth layer resides on a surface of a direct growth layer, the direct growth layer comprising a III-nitride film.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-polar III-nitride film is a planar film.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-polar III-nitride film is an m-plane gallium nitride (GaN) film.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-polar III-nitride film contains a dislocation density less than 10⁸ cm⁻

2.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a laser diode, light-emitting diode or transistor.

8. A method of growing non-polar III-nitride, comprising:

(a) performing a lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) of the III-nitride from a surface, resulting in the non-polar III-nitride having a top surface that is a non-polar plane.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing a direct growth of a III-nitride, prior to step (a), resulting in the surface of the direct growth, wherein the LEO is performed from the surface of the direct growth.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the direct growth is performed by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), Vapor Phase Epitaxy (VPE) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the LEO is performed using a vapor phase epitaxy.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-polar III-nitride is a planar film.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-polar III-nitride is a film produced for use as a substrate for spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization-free device growth.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-polar III-nitride is an m-plane gallium nitride (GaN) film.

15. A device fabricated using the method of claim 8.