Method of fabricating nitride semiconductor laser

• US 6,235,548 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Showa Denko KK
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Ota, Hiroyuki, Kimura, Yoshinori, Miyachi, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): CHRISTIANSON, KEITH ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/461,035
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 438/45, 438/46, 438/47, 438/507, 438/508, 438/509, 438/535, 117/952, 372/43, 372/44, 372/45, 372/46
• US Class Current: 438/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0213 Sapphire, quartz or diamond based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3063 using Mg
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP

Abstract

The disclosure is a method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device of group-III nitride semiconductor having a substrate. The method includes a step of forming a crystal layer made of a group-III nitride semiconductor (Al_xGa_1-x)_1-yIn_yN (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1) having an added group II element over the substrate; a step of heating the crystal layer up to a predetermined temperature in a thermal treatment atmosphere and maintaining the predetermined temperature for a first time period; and a step of introducing a hydrocarbon gas into the thermal treatment atmosphere for at least a partial time period within the first time period. The method further includes a step of irradiating an electromagnetic wave or photons to the crystal layer in the at least a partial time period, wherein the electromagnetic wave or photons have an energy greater than an energy forbidden band width of the group III nitride semiconductor in the crystal layer.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device of group-III nitride semiconductor having a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a crystal layer made of a group-III nitride semiconductor (Al_xGa_1-x)_1-yIn_yN (0≦

x≦

1, 0≦

y≦

1) having an added group II element over the substrate;

heating said crystal layer up to a temperature in a thermal treatment atmosphere and maintaining said temperature for a first time period; and

introducing a hydrocarbon gas into said thermal treatment atmosphere for at least a partial time period within said first time period.

2. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein said hydrocarbon gas consists of unsaturated hydrocarbon molecules each having at least one double or triple bond.

3. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 2, wherein said hydrocarbon gas is ethylene gas.

4. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 2, wherein said hydrocarbon gas is propylene gas.

5. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 2, wherein said hydrocarbon gas is butadiene gas.

6. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein said hydrocarbon gas is ethane gas.

7. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein said hydrocarbon gas is propane gas.

8. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein said hydrocarbon gas is butane gas.

9. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 1 further comprising a step of irradiating an electromagnetic wave or photons to said crystal layer in said at least a partial time period, wherein said electromagnetic wave or photons have an energy greater than an energy forbidden band width of the group III nitride semiconductor (AlxGal1-x)1-yInyN(0≦

x≦

1, 0≦

y≦

1) in said crystal layer.

10. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein said temperature is a temperature ranging from 300°

C. to 1000°

C.

11. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 9 further comprising a step of maintaining the irradiation of said electromagnetic wave or photons after said first time period for a time period in which said crystal layer cools down to 300°

C. or less.

12. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, wherein the crystal layer of the nitride semiconductor is formed through metal-organic chemical vapor deposition.