Methods and apparatus for a semiconductor device

• US 6,841,406 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Cao, Xian-an, Walker, Danielle Marie, Stokes, Edward Brittain
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Long
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, (Vikki) Hoa B.
• Application Number:
  US09/682,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20030087461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/23, 438/24, 438/46, 438/47, 438/37
• US Class Current: 438/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0095 Post-treatment of devices, e.g. annealing, recrystallisation or short-circuit elimination
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/305 characterised by the doping materials

Abstract

A method for increasing carrier concentration in a semiconductor includes providing a group III nitride semiconductor device, determining a wavelength that increases carrier concentration in the semiconductor device, and directing at least one infrared light source, at the determined wavelength, into a semiconductor device excitation band.

Claims

1. A method for determining a wavelength to improve carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

providing a group III nitride semiconductor device;

irradiating the semiconductor device with a broad band light source to generate a semiconductor device response, wherein the semiconductor device response comprises at least one of a photocurrent in a p-type layer and an electroluminescence emission from a light emitting device; and

identifying at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the semiconductor device based on at least one of the photocurrent and the electroluminescence emission.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor light emitting device (LED).

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the semiconductor light emitting device comprises an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) heterostructure LED.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the semiconductor device comprises a laser diode.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein identifying at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device comprises identifying at least one wavelength having an energy between approximately 50 milli-electron volts and approximately 1000 milli-electron volts.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein identifying at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device comprises identifying at least one wavelength having an energy approximately twenty percent of a bandgap width of the semiconductor device.

7. A method for determining a wavelength to improve carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

providing a group III nitride semiconductor device, wherein said semiconductor device comprises a laser diode and an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) light emitting diode (LED);

irradiating the semiconductor device with a laser to generate a semiconductor device response, wherein the semiconductor device response comprises at least one of a photocurrent and an electroluminescence emission; and

analyzing at least one of the photocurrent and the electroluminescence emission with a mathematical algorithm to identity at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device, wherein said wavelength has an energy between approximately 50 milli-electron volts and approximately 1000 milli-electron volts.

8. A method for increasing carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

providing a group III nitride semiconductor device;

determining a wavelength that increases carrier concentration in the semiconductor device; and

directing at least one infrared light source, at the determined wavelength, into a semiconductor device excitation band.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein determining a wavelength to improve carrier concentration in the semiconductor device comprises:

irradiating the semiconductor device with a broad band light source to generate a semiconductor device response, wherein the semiconductor device response comprises at least one of a photocurrent and an electroluminescence emission; and

analyzing at least one of the photocurrent and the electroluminescence emission with a mathematical algorithm to identify at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein directing at least one infrared light source comprises directing a laser, at the determined wavelength, into a semiconductor device acceptor excitation band.

11. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the semiconductor device comprise a semiconductor light emitting device (LED).

12. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the semiconductor light emitting device comprises an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) LED.

13. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the semiconductor device comprises a laser diode.

14. A method for increasing carrier concentration in a semiconductor device, said method comprising:

providing a group III nitride semiconductor device, wherein said semiconductor device comprises a laser diode and an Indium Aluminum Gallium Nitrogen (InAlGaN) heterostructure light emitting diode (LED);

irradiating the semiconductor device with a broad band light source to generate a semiconductor device response, wherein the semiconductor device response comprises at least one of a photocurrent and an electroluminescence emission;

analyzing at least one of the photocurrent emission and the electroluminescence emission with a mathematical algorithm to identify at least one wavelength corresponding to an acceptor ionization in the device; and

directing a laser, at the determined wavelength, into a semiconductor device excitation band.