Fabrication of nonpolar indium gallium nitride thin films, heterostructures and devices by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

• US 7,504,274 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Science And Technology Agency, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Japan Science & Technology Trading Co. Limited, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Speck, James S., DenBaars, Steven P., Keller, Stacia, Haskell, Benjamin A., Nakamura, Shuji, Chakraborty, Arpan, Mishra, Umesh K.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOURSON III, GEORGE R
• Application Number:
  US11/621,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20070111488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 438/46, 438/47, 438/479, 438/938, 438/FOR.244, 438/FOR.253, 438/FOR.287, 438/FOR.293, 438/FOR.267, 257/E21.113, 257/E21.463, 148/33
• US Class Current: 438/46
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/02 Epitaxial-layer growth
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/403 AIII-nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02389 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02433 Crystal orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02502 consisting of two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02609 Crystal orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0075 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/04 MOCVD or MOVPE
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/12 Pendeo epitaxial lateral overgrowth [ELOG], e.g. for growing GaN based blue laser diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0213 Sapphire, quartz or diamond based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32025 non-polar orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

A method for the fabrication of nonpolar indium gallium nitride (InGaN) films as well as nonpolar InGaN-containing device structures using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOVCD). The method is used to fabricate nonpolar InGaN/GaN violet and near-ultraviolet light emitting diodes and laser diodes.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating nonpolar Indium-containing III-nitride devices, comprising:

(a) providing a III-nitride substrate or template;

(b) growing one or more nonpolar Indium-containing III-nitride layers on the substrate or template;

(c) growing a capping layer on the nonpolar Indium-containing III-nitride layers; and

(d) growing one or more nonpolar Aluminum-containing or Gallium-containing III-nitride layers on the capping layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the III-nitride substrate or template has a dislocation density of less than 1×

10⁹ cm<sup>−

2</sup> and a stacking fault density of less than 1×

10⁴ cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

2. A nonpolar Indium-containing III-nitride based device, comprising:

(a) a III-nitride substrate or template;

(b) one or more nonpolar Indium-containing III-nitride layers on the substrate or template

(c) a capping layer on the nonpolar Indium-containing III-nitride layers; and

(d) one or more nonpolar Aluminum-containing or Gallium-containing III-nitride layers on the capping layer.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the III-nitride substrate or template has a dislocation density of less than 1×

10⁹ cm<sup>−

2</sup> and a stacking fault density of less than 1×

10⁴ cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

5. At least one Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device grown on a nonpolar nitride template or substrate with a threading dislocation density of less than 1×

10⁹ cm<sup>−

2</sup> and a stacking fault of less than 1×

10⁴ cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

6. The Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device of claim 5, wherein the nonpolar nitride template or substrate has a threading dislocation density of less than 5×

10⁶ cm<sup>−

2</sup> and a stacking fault of less than 3×

10³ cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

7. The Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device of claim 5, wherein the Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device is grown using N₂ carrier gas.

8. The Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device of claim 5, wherein the Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device is grown near or at atmospheric pressure.

9. The Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device of claim 5, wherein the nonpolar nitride template or substrate is a GaN, AlN or AlGaN substrate.

10. The Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device of claim 5, wherein the layer is an InGaN layer.

11. The Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device of claim 5, wherein the device is a light emitting diode, laser diode or transistor.

12. The Indium containing III-nitride epitaxial layer, heterostructure or device of claim 5, wherein the device is a light emitting diode (LED) or laser diode (LD) with an emission wavelength between 360 nm and 600 nm.