NON-POLAR GALLIUM NITRIDE THIN FILMS GROWN BY METALORGANIC CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

• US 20110229639A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• 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 Stephen, Craven, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,039,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/255.394
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/02 Epitaxial-layer growth
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/04 Pattern deposit, e.g. by using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/105 by irradiation or electric discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/18 characterised by the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/403 AIII-nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/406 Gallium nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/605 Products containing multiple oriented crystallites, e.g. columnar crystallites
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02433 Crystal orientation
• 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 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02639 Preparation of substrate for selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02647 Lateral overgrowth

Abstract

Non-polar (11 20) a-plane gallium nitride (GaN) films with planar surfaces are grown on (1 102) r-plane sapphire substrates by employing a low temperature nucleation layer as a buffer layer prior to a high temperature growth of the non-polar (11 20) a-plane GaN thin films.

Claims

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

growing initial non-polar III-nitride on a substrate using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), wherein the non-polar III-nitride has a threading dislocation density of no more than 2.6×

10¹⁰ cm<sup>−

2</sup>.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial the non-polar III-nitride has a stacking fault density of no more than 3.8×

10⁵ cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride has a top surface with a surface roughness of no more than 2.6 nm.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride has a top surface with a surface roughness of no more than 2.6 nm over an area of 5 micrometers by 5 micrometers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride has a top surface that is at least as smooth as shown in FIG. 4.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride is a film.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride has a planar top surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride is suitable is suitable for subsequent growth of device-quality (Al,B,In,Ga)N layers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride has a top surface that is an a-plane.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride has a top surface that is an m-plane.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride is gallium nitride.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride is InN, AlN, or AlInGaN.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial non-polar III-nitride has a top surface that is a device substrate for subsequent growth of non-polar III-nitride device layers on the top surface.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is selected from a group comprising silicon carbide, gallium nitride, silicon, zinc oxide, boron nitride, lithium aluminate, lithium niobate, germanium, aluminum nitride, and lithium gallate.