Method for enhancing growth of semi-polar (Al,In,Ga,B)N via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

• US 7,575,947 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Science & Technology Trading Co. Limited
• Original Assignee: Japan Science & Technology Trading Co. Limited, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Baker, Troy J., DenBaars, Steven P., Haskell, Benjamin A., Nakamura, Shuji, Iza, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Picardat; Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US11/517,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20090184342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/36, 438/41, 438/44, 438/46, 438/48, 438/481, 438/485, 438/680, 438/681, 257/12, 257/13, 257/79, 257/86, 257/94, 257/103
• US Class Current: 438/46
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/02 Epitaxial-layer growth
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/403 AIII-nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02433 Crystal orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02581 Transition metal or rare earth elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02609 Crystal orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02647 Lateral overgrowth

Abstract

A method for growing a semi-polar nitride semiconductor thin film via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on a substrate, wherein a nitride nucleation or buffer layer is grown on the substrate prior to the growth of the semi-polar nitride semiconductor thin film.

Claims

1. A method for growing a semi-polar nitride semiconductor film via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on a substrate, comprising:

(a) growing a nitride nucleation or buffer layer on a substrate; and

(b) growing a semi-polar nitride semiconductor film on the nitride nucleation or buffer layer, wherein a growth surface of the semi-polar nitride semiconductor film is parallel to the substrate'"'"'s surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the nitride nucleation or buffer layer comprises Al_xIn_yGa_1-x-yN with x=1 and y=0.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride semiconductor film comprises multiple layers having varying or graded compositions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride semiconductor film contains one or more layers of dissimilar (Al,Ga,In,B)N composition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride semiconductor film comprises a heterostructure containing layers of dissimilar (Al,Ga,In,B)N composition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride semiconductor film is doped with elements consisting essentially of Fe, Si, and Mg.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the growth surface is greater than a 10 micrometer wide area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride semi-conductor film is grown to cover a 2 inch diameter substrate.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising nitridizing the substrate prior to growing the nucleation or buffer layer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the semi-polar nitride semiconductor film is used as a template or substrate for subsequent growth, by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

11. A device fabricated using the method of claim 1.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a surface roughness of the semi-polar nitride semiconductor film is less than 7 nm.