Nitride semiconductor device with depressed portion

• US 7,772,611 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Fukuyama Laser Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Araki, Masahiro, Yamada, Eiji, Kamikawa, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gurley; Lynne A
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARENA, ANDREW OWENS
• Application Number:
  US11/601,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20070066029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 257/620, 257/622, 257/94, 257/103, 257/617, 257/623, 257/627, 257/628, 257/E29.004, 257/E29.089, 257/E29.09, 257/E29.105, 257/E33.006, 257/E33.02, 257/E33.023, 257/E33.024, 257/E33.025, 257/E33.026, 257/E33.028, 257/E33.031, 257/E33.033, 438/33, 438/42, 438/44, 438/68, 438/113, 438/114, 438/460, 438/462, 438/465
• US Class Current: 257/103
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/24 of the light emitting region, e.g. non-planar junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/12 Pendeo epitaxial lateral overgrowth [ELOG], e.g. for growing GaN based blue laser diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0202 Cleaving
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0207 Substrates having a special shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2201 in a specific crystallographic orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2231 with inner confining structure only between the active layer and the upper electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP

Abstract

On a processed substrate having an engraved region as a depressed portion formed thereon, a nitride semiconductor thin film is laid. The sectional area occupied by the nitride semiconductor thin film filling the depressed portion is 0.8 times the sectional area of the depressed portion or less.

Claims

1. A nitride semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate comprising a nitride semiconductor the substrate further comprising an engraved region and a ridge portion, the engraved region comprising a depression portion; and

a nitride semiconductor layer formed on the substrate so as to be in direct contact with the ridge portion, a bottom surface of the engraved region, and a side surface of the engraved region,

wherein when a sectional area of a region surrounded by a sectional portion of the depressed portion cut along a plane perpendicular to a direction in which the depressed portion extends and lines extending from a top surface of the ridge portion parallel to the top surface of the ridge portion is denoted A, and

a sectional area occupied by the nitride semiconductor layer laid in the depressed portion is denoted B, then B/A, indicating a degree in which the depressed portion is filled by the nitride semiconductor layer, is 0.8 or less but greater than 0.

2. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein, in the engraved region, the depressed portion is formed to have an opening width more than 100 μ

m, and wherein a total thickness from the surface of the ridge portion to a surface of the nitride semiconductor layer is 0.8 times a depth of the depressed portion or less.

3. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein, in the engraved region, the depressed portion is formed to have an opening width more than 30 μ

m, but less than or equal to 100 μ

m, and wherein a total thickness from the surface of the ridge portion to a surface of the nitride semiconductor layer is twice a depth of the depressed portion or less.

4. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein, in the engraved region, the depressed portion is formed to have an opening width of 2 μ

m or more but 30 μ

m or less, and

wherein a total thickness from the surface of the ridge portion to a surface of the nitride semiconductor layer portion is three times a depth of the depressed portion or less.

5. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein an electrode pad on which to perform wire bonding for connection with outside is formed on top of the nitride semiconductor layer other than above the engraved region.

6. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 5, wherein the electrode pad is formed 5 μ

m or more apart from an edge of the engraved region.

7. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the ridge portion has a width of 92 μ

m or more and 4 mm or less.

8. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein one nitride semiconductor device is formed in a ridge portion sandwiched between two adjacent engraved regions.

9. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of nitride semiconductor devices are formed in a ridge portion sandwiched between two adjacent engraved regions.

10. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein chip separation is performed right below the engraved region of the processed substrate.

11. The nitride semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a principal plane orientation of the substrate is selected from a C plane {0001}, an A plane {11-20}, an M plane {1-100}, a {1-101}plane, or an R plane {1-102}.