Method for reducing the resistivity of p-type II-VI and III-V semiconductors

• US 6,911,079 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: O'Connor, Kevin, Hon, Schang-Jing, Wang, Alexander, Rice, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): KUNEMUND, ROBERT M
• Application Number:
  US10/127,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20030199171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 117/2, 117/3, 117/953, 117/954, 117/955, 117/956
• US Class Current: 117/2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/326 Application of electric currents or fields, e.g. for electroforming H01L21/20 - H01L21/288 and H01L21/302 - H01L21/324 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0095 Post-treatment of devices, e.g. annealing, recrystallisation or short-circuit elimination

Abstract

The resistivity of a p-doped III-V or a p-doped II-VI semiconductor material is reduced. The reduction of resistivity of the p-type III-V or a II-VI semiconductor material is achieved by applying an electric field to the semiconductor material. III-V nitride-based light emitting diodes are prepared.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the resistivity of a p-doped III-V semiconductor material or a p-doped II-VI semiconductor material, comprising the step of placing the semiconductor material in an electric field, whereby the electrical resistivity of the material is reduced.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric field is at least about 10,000 volts/cm.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of heating the semiconductor material to a temperature of about 300°

C. to about 600°

C. during application of the electric field.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the semiconductor material is under less than atmospheric pressure.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the semiconductor material is a III-V nitride compound.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the semiconductor material is in a nitrogen atmosphere.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the p-dopant is selected from the group consisting of Zn, Cd, Be, Mg, Ca, and Ba.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the III-V nitride compound is Al_xGa_yIn₁₋

x−

yN, G_xAl<sub>1−

x</sub>N or In_xGa<sub>1−

x</sub>N, wherein x≧

0 and y≧

0.1.

9. A method of manufacturing a p-type III-V or p-type II-VI semiconductor material, comprising the steps of:

a) growing the semiconductor material using a reaction gas comprising a p-type impurity source, wherein the semiconductor material is a III-V or II-VI semiconductor material; and

b) applying an electric field to the semiconductor material, thereby reducing the resistivity of the semiconductor material and forming a p-type III-V or p-type II-VI semiconductor material.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the semiconductor material using a growth method selected from metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE).

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the electric field is in a range of between about 10,000 volts/cm and about 1,000,000 volts/cm.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of heating the substrate to a temperature of about 300°

C. to about 600°

C.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the semiconductor material is in a vacuum environment during application of the electric field.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the semiconductor material is a III-V nitride compound.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the semiconductor material is in a nitrogen atmosphere during application of the electric field.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the p-type impurity is selected from the group consisting of Zn, Cd, Be, Mg, Ca, and Ba.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the III-V nitride compound is Al_xGa_yIn₁₋

x−

yN, Ga_xAl<sub>1−

x</sub>N or In_xGa<sub>1−

x</sub>N, wherein x≧

0 and y≧

0.1.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the III-V nitride is grown using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and the reaction gas further comprises a nitrogen source and one or more gas selected from the group consisting of an aluminum source, a gallium source, and an indium source.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

a) the aluminum source is selected from the group consisting of trimethyl aluminum and triethyl aluminum;

b) the gallium source is selected from the group consisting of trimethyl gallium and triethyl gallium;

c) the indium source is selected from the group consisting of trimethyl indium and triethylindium; and

d) the nitrogen source is selected from the group consisting of ammonia and hydrazine.