Buffer structure between silicon carbide and gallium nitride and resulting semiconductor devices

• US 5,393,993 A
• Filed: 12/13/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cree Research, Inc. (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Irvine, Kenneth, Dmitriev, Vladimir, Edmond, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): James, Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meier, Stephen D.
• Application Number:
  US08/166,229
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 257/77, 257/94, 257/103, 437/107
• US Class Current: 257/77
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds

Abstract

A transition crystal structure is disclosed for providing a good lattice and thermal match between a layer of single crystal silicon carbide and a layer of single crystal gallium nitride. The transition structure comprises a buffer formed of a first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride, and a second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride adjacent to the first layer. The mole percentage of aluminum nitride in the second layer is substantially different from the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in the first layer. A layer of single crystal gallium nitride is formed upon the second layer of gallium nitride. In preferred embodiments, the buffer further comprises an epitaxial layer of aluminum nitride upon a silicon carbide substrate.

Claims

1. A transition crystal structure for providing a good lattice and thermal match between single crystal silicon carbide and a layer of single crystal gallium nitride, said transition structure comprising:

a buffer formed of

a first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride; and

a second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride adjacent to said first layer, and in which the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said second layer is substantially different from the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said first layer; and

a layer of single crystal gallium nitride upon said second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein the mole percentage of gallium nitride in said first layer is greater than the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said first layer;

and

wherein the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said second layer is greater than the mole percentage of gallium nitride in said second layer.

3. A structure according to claim 2 further comprising a single crystal silicon carbide substrate;

and

said buffer further comprising an epitaxial layer of aluminum nitride upon said silicon carbide substrate.

4. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is between about 20 and 50 mole percent aluminum nitride.

5. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is about 30 mole percent aluminum nitride.

6. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is between about 60 and 95 mole percent aluminum nitride.

7. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is about 90 mole percent aluminum nitride.

8. A structure according to claim 3 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of the 6H, 4H, and 3C polytypes of silicon carbide.

9. A vertical device precursor structure comprising:

a single crystal silicon carbide substrate;

a buffer upon said substrate; and

a single crystal layer of gallium nitride upon said buffer;

wherein said buffer comprises,

an epitaxial layer of aluminum nitride upon said silicon carbide substrate

a first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride; and

a second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride adjacent to said first layer, and in which the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said second layer is substantially different from the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said first layer.

10. A structure according to claim 9 wherein the mole percentage of gallium nitride in said first layer is greater than the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said first layer;

and

wherein the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said second layer is greater than the mole percentage of gallium nitride in said second layer.

11. A vertical device precursor according to claim 9 wherein said first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is between about 20 and 50 mole percent aluminum nitride.

12. A vertical device precursor according to claim 9 wherein said first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is about 30 mole percent aluminum nitride.

13. A vertical device precursor according to claim 9 wherein said second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is between about 60 and 95 mole percent aluminum nitride.

14. A vertical device precursor according to claim 9 wherein said second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is about 90 mole percent aluminum nitride.

15. A vertical device precursor according to claim 9 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of the 6H, 4H, and 3C polytypes of silicon carbide.

16. A vertical light emitting diode formed from single crystal gallium nitride upon single crystal silicon carbide, said light emitting diode comprising:

a single crystal silicon carbide substrate;

a buffer upon said substrate;

a first single crystal layer of gallium nitride upon said buffer and having a first conductivity type;

a second single crystal layer of gallium nitride upon said first gallium nitride layer, and having the opposite conductivity type from said first gallium nitride layer, said first and second layers forming a p-n junction therebetween; and

ohmic contacts to said substrate and to said second gallium nitride layer;

wherein said buffer comprises,

an epitaxial layer of aluminum nitride upon said silicon carbide substrate,

a first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride, and

a second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride adjacent to said first layer, and in which the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said second layer is substantially different from the mole percentage of aluminum nitride in said first layer.

17. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 wherein said buffer is conductively doped.

18. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 wherein said buffer is an insulator and wherein said diode further comprises shorting contacts between said substrate and said first single crystal layer of gallium nitride.

19. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 wherein said first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is between about 20 and 50 mole percent aluminum nitride.

20. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 wherein said first layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is about 30 mole percent aluminum nitride.

21. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 wherein said second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is between about 60 and 95 mole percent aluminum nitride.

22. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 wherein said second layer of gallium nitride and aluminum nitride is about 90 mole percent aluminum nitride.

23. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 and further comprising an epitaxial layer of a gallium nitride alloy between said first and second layers of gallium nitride.

24. A light emitting diode according to claim 23 wherein said gallium nitride alloy comprises indium gallium nitride.

25. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 having a peak emission at a wavelength of between about 410 and 470 nanometers.

26. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 having a peak emission at a wavelength of between about 470 and 560 nanometers.

27. A light emitting diode according to claim 16 wherein said substrate comprises the 6H polytype of silicon carbide.