Semiconductor devices constructed from crystallites

• US 5,977,612 A
• Filed: 12/20/1996
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bluestone Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ponce, Fernando A., Goetz, Werner K., Johnson, Noble M., Bour, David P., Romano, Linda T., Bringans, Ross D., Connell, G. A. Neville
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Nathan K.
• Application Number:
  US08/770,403
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 257/466, 257/618, 257/94, 257/97, 257/103, 257/440, 257/499
• US Class Current: 257/618
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/201 including two or more compounds , e.g. alloys H01L29/2006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/16 with a particular crystal structure or orientation, e.g. polycrystalline, amorphous or porous
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

The present invention relates to electronic devices formed in crystallites of III-V nitride materials. Specifically, the present invention simplifies the processing technology required for the fabrication of high-performance electronic devices in III-V nitride materials.

Claims

1. A structure in which may be formed a semiconductor device, the structure comprising:

an aluminum-containing substrate having a nitrided region formed therein with a generally planar upper surface upon which material layers may be formed, said nitrided region having a single crystal structure;

a gallium nitride nucleation region in physical contact with said upper surface; and

a localized crystallite structure formed over and in physical contact with said nucleation region such that said localized crystallite structure forms epitaxially with said upper surface of said region, said localized crystallite structure having a substantially planar upper surface generally parallel to said generally planar upper surface of said nitrided region.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said nitrided region is a region of single-crystal aluminum nitride formed in said aluminum-containing substrate.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein said aluminum containing substrate is Al₂ O₃.

4. A structure in which may be formed a semiconductor device, the structure comprising:

a substrate formed of Al₂ O₃ and having a region formed therein with a generally planar upper surface upon which material layers may be formed, said region being comprised of aluminum nitride and having a single crystal structure; and

a localized crystallite structure formed over and in physical contact with said upper surface of said region such that said localized crystallite structure forms epitaxially with said upper surface of said region, said localized crystallite structure having a substantially planar upper surface generally parallel to said planar upper surface of said region.

5. A structure in which may be formed a semiconductor device, the structure comprising:

a substrate formed of Al₂ O₃ and having a region formed therein with a generally planar upper surface upon which material layers may be formed, said region comprising aluminum nitride and having a single crystal structure;

a gallium nitride nucleation region in physical contact with said upper surface; and

a localized crystallite structure formed over and in physical contact with said nucleation region such that said localized crystallite structure forms epitaxially with said upper surface of said region, said localized crystallite structure having a substantially planar upper surface generally parallel to said generally planar upper surface of said region.