Method of producing a single crystal gallium nitride substrate and single crystal gallium nitride substrate

• US 6,468,882 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Okahisa, Takuji, Kasai, Hitoshi, Motoki, Kensaku
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Phuc T.
• Application Number:
  US09/901,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20020028564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 438/44, 438/47, 438/458, 438/460, 438/479, 438/481, 438/931, 438/967, 438/465, 438/478
• US Class Current: 438/460
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/02 Epitaxial-layer growth
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/406 Gallium nitride
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02389 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02395 Arsenides
• 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 21/02546 Arsenides

Abstract

GaN single crystal substrates are produced by slicing a GaN single crystal ingot in the planes parallel to the growing direction. Penetration dislocations which have been generated in the growing direction extend mainly in the bulk of the GaN substrate. A few of the threading dislocations appear on the surface of the GaN substrate. GaN substrates of low-dislocation density are obtained.

Claims

1. A method of making a gallium nitride single crystal substrate comprising the steps of:

growing a {1−

100} single crystal gallium nitride single ingot on a {1−

100} GaN seed crystal substrate in the <

1−

100>

growing direction;

slicing the {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in (0001) planes parallel to the <

1−

100>

growing direction; and

obtaining (0001) GaN single crystal substrates.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the {1−

100} GaN seed crystal substrate is obtained by growing a (0001) GaN single crystal ingot in a <

0001>

growing direction and slicing the (0001) GaN single crystal ingot in {1−

100} planes parallel to the growing direction <

0001>

.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the {1−

100} GaN seed crystal substrate is obtained by growing a {11−

20} GaN single crystal ingot in a <

11−

20>

growing direction and slicing the {11−

20} GaN single crystal ingot in {1−

100} planes parallel to the growing direction <

11−

20>

.

4. A method of making a gallium nitride single crystal substrate comprising:

growing the {11−

20} single crystal gallium nitride ingot on a {11−

20} GaN seed crystal substrate in a <

11−

20>

growing direction;

slicing the {11−

20} GaN single crystal ingot in (0001) planes parallel to the <

11−

20>

growing direction; and

obtaining (0001) GaN single crystal substrates.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the {11−

20} GaN seed crystal substrate is obtained by growing a (0001) GaN single crystal ingot in a <

0001>

growing direction and slicing the (0001) GaN single crystal ingot in {11−

20} planes parallel to the growing direction <

0001>

.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the {11−

20} GaN seed crystal substrate is obtained by growing a {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in a <

1−

100>

growing direction and slicing the {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in {11−

20} planes parallel to the growing direction <

1−

100>

.

7. A method of making gallium nitride single crystal comprising:

growing a {0001} single crystal gallium nitride ingot in a {0001} GaN seed crystal substrate in a <

0001>

growing direction;

slicing the {0001} GaN single crystal ingot in {1−

100} planes parallel to the <

0001>

growing direction; and

obtaining {1−

100} GaN single crystal substrates.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the {0001} GaN seed crystal substrate is obtained by growing a {11−

20} or {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in a <

11−

20>

or <

1−

100>

growing direction and slicing the {11−

20} or {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in {0001} planes parallel to the <

11−

20>

or <

1−

100>

growing direction.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the {0001} GaN seed crystal substrate is obtained by growing a {0001} GaN single crystal ingot in a <

0001>

growing direction and slicing the {0001} GaN single crystal ingot in {0001} planes.

10. A method of making a gallium nitride single crystal substrate comprising:

growing the {0001} gallium nitride single crystal ingot on a {0001} GaN seed crystal substrate in the <

0001>

growing direction;

slicing the {0001} GaN single crystal ingot in {11−

20} planes parallel to the <

0001>

growing direction; and

obtaining {11−

20} GaN single crystal substrates.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the {0001} GaN seed crystal substrate is obtained by growing a {11−

20} or {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in a <

11−

20>

or <

1−

100>

growing direction and slicing the {11−

20} or {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in {0001} planes parallel to the <

11−

20>

or <

1−

100>

growing direction.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the {0001} GaN seed crystal substrate is obtained by growing a {0001} GaN single crystal ingot in a <

0001>

growing direction and slicing the {0001} GaN single crystal ingot in {0001} planes.

13. A gallium nitride single crystal substrate having surfaces and containing threading dislocations extending in parallel with the surface, wherein parallelism of the dislocations to the surface reduces the threading dislocations appearing on the surface by hiding almost all of the threading dislocations below the surface and allowing a few of the threading dislocations to appear on the surface.

15. The gallium nitride single crystal substrate according to claim 13, wherein threading dislocation density is less than 1×

10⁶ cm<sup>−

2</sup> on the surface.

14. A gallium nitride single crystal substrate having surfaces and containing threading dislocations extending in parallel with the surface, wherein one direction parallelism of the dislocations to the surface reduces the threading dislocations below the surface and allowing a few of the threading dislocations to appear on the surface.

16. A method of making a gallium nitride single crystal substrate comprising:

growing a gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a growing direction;

slicing the GaN single crystal ingot in planes parallel to the growing direction into GaN seed single crystals;

obtaining the GaN seed single crystals having surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces, threading dislocations running within the bulk in a direction parallel to the surface and a few threading dislocations appearing on the surface;

growing a gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a growing direction on the GaN seed crystal;

slicing the GaN single crystal ingot in planes orthogonal to the growing direction into GaN single substrates; and

obtaining the GaN single crystal substrates having surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces and threading dislocations running in a direction orthogonal to the surface.

18. The method according to claim 16, comprising growing a {1−

100} gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a <

1−

100>

growing direction, slicing the {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in (0001) planes parallel to the <

1−

100>

growing direction into (0001) seed crystals, obtaining the (0001) seed crystals having surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces, threading dislocations running within the bulk in the <

1−

100>

direction parallel to the (0001) surface, growing a (0001) gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a <

0001>

growing direction on the (0001) GaN seed crystal, slicing the (0001) GaN single crystal ingot in (0001) planes orthogonal to the <

0001>

growing direction into (0001) GaN single substrates, obtaining the (0001) GaN single crystal substrates having (0001) surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces and threading dislocations running in the <

0001>

direction orthogonal to the (0001) surface.

19. The method according to claim 16, comprising growing a {11−

20} gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a <

11−

20>

growing direction, slicing the {11−

20} GaN single crystal ingot in (0001) planes parallel to the <

11−

20>

growing direction into (0001) seed crystals, obtaining the (0001) seed crystals having surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces, threading dislocations running within the bulk in the <

11−

20>

direction parallel to the (0001) surface, growing a (0001) gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a <

0001>

growing direction on the (0001) GaN seed crystal, slicing the (0001) GaN single crystal ingot in (0001) planes orthogonal to the <

0001>

growing direction into (0001) GaN single substrates, obtaining the (0001) GaN single crystal substrates having (0001) surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces and threading dislocations running in the <

0001>

direction orthogonal to the (0001) surface.

20. The method according to claim 16, comprising growing a {0001} gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a <

0001>

growing direction, slicing the {0001} GaN single crystal ingot in {1−

100} planes parallel to the <

0001>

growing direction into {1−

100} seed crystals, obtaining the {1−

100} seed crystals having surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces, threading dislocations running within the bulk in the <

0001>

direction parallel to the {1−

100} surface, growing a {1−

100} gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a <

1−

100>

growing direction on the {1−

100} GaN seed crystal, slicing the {1−

100} GaN single crystal ingot in {1−

100} planes orthogonal to the <

1−

100>

growing direction into {1−

100} GaN single substrates, obtaining the {1−

100} GaN single crystal substrates having {1−

100} surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces and threading dislocations running in the <

1−

100>

direction orthogonal to the {1−

100} surface.

21. The method according to claim 16, comprising growing a {0001} gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a <

0001>

growing direction, slicing the {0001} GaN single crystal ingot in {11−

20} planes parallel to the <

0001>

growing direction into {11−

20} seed crystals, obtaining the {11−

20} seed crystals having surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces, threading dislocations running within the bulk in the <

0001>

direction parallel to the {11−

20} surface, growing a {11−

20} gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a <

11−

20>

growing direction on the {11−

20} GaN seed crystal, slicing the {11−

20} GaN single crystal ingot in {11−

20} planes orthogonal to the <

1−

100>

growing direction into {11−

20} GaN single substrates, obtaining the {11−

20} GaN single crystal substrates having {11−

20} surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces and threading dislocations running in the <

11−

20>

direction orthogonal to the {11−

20} surface.

17. A method of making a gallium nitride single crystal substrate comprising:

preparing a GaN seed single crystal having surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces, threading dislocations running within the bulk in a direction parallel to the surface and a few threading dislocations appearing on the surface;

growing a gallium nitride single crystal ingot in a growing direction on the GaN seed single crystal;

slicing the GaN single crystal ingot in planes orthogonal to the growing direction into GaN single substrates; and

obtaining the GaN single crystal substrates having surfaces, a bulk between the surfaces and threading dislocations running in a direction orthogonal to the surface.