Epitaxy/substrate release layer
First Claim
1. A method of growing a gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial structure and fabricating an electronic device comprising:
- a) depositing a sacrificial epitaxial layer on a substrate, wherein the sacrificial epitaxial layer is essentially aluminum gallium nitride;
b) depositing one or more structural epitaxial layers including a GaN buffer layer on the sacrificial epitaxial layer; and
c) oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer to separate the substrate from the one or more structural epitaxial layers, wherein oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer alters the chemical composition of the sacrificial epitaxial layer such that an ability of the sacrificial layer to adhere the substrate to the one or more epitaxial layers is substantially reduced.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an epitaxial structure having one or more structural epitaxial layers, including a gallium nitride (GaN) layer, which is deposited on a substrate, and a method of growing the epitaxial structure, wherein the structural epitaxial layers can be separated from the substrate. In general, a sacrificial epitaxial layer is deposited on the substrate between the substrate and the structural epitaxial layers, and the structural epitaxial layers are deposited on the sacrificial layer. After growth, the structural epitaxial layers are separated from the substrate by oxidizing the sacrificial layer. The structural epitaxial layers include a nucleation layer deposited on the sacrificial layer and a gallium nitride layer deposited on the nucleation layer. Optionally, the oxidation of the sacrificial layer may also oxidize the nucleation layer.
122 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of growing a gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial structure and fabricating an electronic device comprising:
-
a) depositing a sacrificial epitaxial layer on a substrate, wherein the sacrificial epitaxial layer is essentially aluminum gallium nitride; b) depositing one or more structural epitaxial layers including a GaN buffer layer on the sacrificial epitaxial layer; and c) oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer to separate the substrate from the one or more structural epitaxial layers, wherein oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer alters the chemical composition of the sacrificial epitaxial layer such that an ability of the sacrificial layer to adhere the substrate to the one or more epitaxial layers is substantially reduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of fabricating an electronic device comprising:
-
a) depositing a sacrificial epitaxial layer on a substrate, wherein the sacrificial epitaxial layer is essentially aluminum gallium nitride; b) depositing one or more structural epitaxial layers including a gallium nitride (GaN) buffer layer on the sacrificial epitaxial layer; c) fabricating an electronic device on the structural epitaxial layers; and d) oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer to separate the substrate from the electronic device, wherein oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer alters the chemical composition of the sacrificial epitaxial layer such that an ability of the sacrificial layer to adhere the substrate to the one or more epitaxial layers is substantially reduced. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of growing a gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial structure and fabricating an electronic device comprising:
-
a) depositing a sacrificial epitaxial layer on a substrate, wherein the sacrificial epitaxial layer has a high aluminum mole fraction; b) depositing one or more structural epitaxial layers including a GaN buffer layer on the sacrificial epitaxial layer; and c) oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer to separate the substrate from the one or more structural epitaxial layers, wherein oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer alters the chemical composition of the sacrificial epitaxial layer such that an ability of the sacrificial layer to adhere the substrate to the one or more epitaxial layers is substantially reduced. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
-
24. A method of fabricating an electronic device comprising:
-
a) depositing a sacrificial epitaxial layer on a substrate, wherein the sacrificial epitaxial layer has a high aluminum mole fraction; b) depositing one or more structural epitaxial layers including a gallium nitride (GaN) buffer layer on the sacrificial epitaxial layer; c) fabricating an electronic device on the structural epitaxial layers; and d) oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer to separate the substrate from the electronic device, wherein oxidizing the sacrificial epitaxial layer alters the chemical composition of the sacrificial epitaxial layer such that an ability of the sacrificial layer to adhere the substrate to the one or more epitaxial layers is substantially reduced. - View Dependent Claims (25)
-
Specification