Growing smooth semiconductor layers
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer with a free surface, the free surface having an orientation with respect to lattice axes of the layer for which some atoms in flat regions of the free surface have three chemical bonds to the layer and, at least, some of the atoms at edges of monolayer steps on the free surface have two chemical bonds to the layer; and
performing an anneal that reduces atomic roughness on the free surface; and
wherein the performing an anneal comprises annealing the layer at a temperature above a temperature during the epitaxially growing step.
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Abstract
A method includes epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer with a free surface and performing an anneal that reduces atomic roughness on the free surface. The free surface has an orientation with respect to lattice axes of the layer for which atoms in flat regions of the free surface have more chemical bonds to the layer than do, at least, some of the atoms at edges of monolayer steps on the free surface.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer with a free surface, the free surface having an orientation with respect to lattice axes of the layer for which some atoms in flat regions of the free surface have three chemical bonds to the layer and, at least, some of the atoms at edges of monolayer steps on the free surface have two chemical bonds to the layer; and
performing an anneal that reduces atomic roughness on the free surface; and
wherein the performing an anneal comprises annealing the layer at a temperature above a temperature during the epitaxially growing step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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3. A method comprising:
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epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer with a free surface, the free surface having an orientation with respect to lattice axes of the layer for which some atoms in flat regions of the free surface have three chemical bonds to the layer and, at least, some of the atoms at edges of monolayer steps on the free surface have two chemical bonds to the layer;
performing an anneal that reduces atomic roughness on the free surface; and
measuring a time-dependent rate of specular reflection off the growing semiconductor layer; and
wherein the growing includes stopping the growth in response to a selected measurement of the rate of specular reflection. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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10. A method comprising:
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epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer with a free surface, the free surface having an orientation with respect to lattice axes of the layer for which some atoms in flat regions of the free surface have three chemical bonds to the layer and, at least, some of the atoms at edges of monolayer steps on the free surface have two chemical bonds to the layer; and
performing an anneal that reduces atomic roughness on the free surface; and
wherein the growing includes growing a GaAs layer along a 110-type crystal axis of GaAs; and
wherein the performing an anneal comprises heating the GaAs layer to a temperature of 570°
C. or more; and
wherein the performing an anneal comprises maintaining the temperature of 570°
C. or more for 10 minutes.
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Specification