Gallium nitride layer with diamond layers

• US 7,884,373 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Bernstein, Steven D., Korenstein, Ralph, Pereira, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chambliss; Alonzo
• Application Number:
  US12/753,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20100187544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 257/77
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02389 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0245 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02527 Carbon, e.g. diamond-like carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1602 Diamond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/267 in different semiconductor regions , e.g. heterojunctions H01L29/263 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66431 with a heterojunction interface channel or gate, e.g. HFET, HIGFET, SISFET, HJFET, HEMT with an active layer made of a group 13/15 material H01L29/66462
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66462 with a heterojunction interface channel or gate, e.g. HFET, HIGFET, SISFET, HJFET, HEMT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7786 with direct single heterostructure, i.e. with wide bandgap layer formed on top of active layer, e.g. direct single heterostructure MIS-like HEMT

Abstract

In one aspect, a method includes fabricating a gallium nitride (GaN) layer with a first diamond layer having a first thermal conductivity and a second diamond layer having a second thermal conductivity greater than the first thermal conductivity. The fabricating includes using a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to deposit the second diamond layer onto the first diamond layer.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a gallium nitride (GaN) layer;

a first layer of diamond having a first thermal conductivity disposed on the GaN layer; and

a second layer of diamond having a second thermal conductivity greater than the first thermal conductivity deposited on the first layer of diamond,

wherein the second diamond layer is about 2 mils or greater and the first diamond layer is less than about 1 mil.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an interlayer disposed between the first layer of diamond and the GaN layer.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the second diamond layer is between about 2 mils and about 4 mils and the first diamond layer is less than about 1 mil.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is one of a high frequency device, a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) or a microwave device.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the GaN layer comprises at least one undoped GaN, doped GaN or GaN combined with another element.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the second diamond layer has the second thermal conductivity greater than 1500 Watts/meter—

Kelvin (W/m-K).

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the first diamond layer having the first thermal conductivity of about 800 to 1000 Watts/meter—

Kelvin (W/m-K).

8. A device, comprising:

a gallium nitride (GaN) layer;

a first layer of diamond having a first thermal conductivity disposed on the GaN layer; and

a second layer of diamond having a second thermal conductivity greater than the first thermal conductivity deposited on the first layer of diamond,

wherein the second diamond layer about 4 mils or greater and the first diamond layer is less than about 1 mil.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the second diamond layer has the second thermal conductivity greater than 1500 Watts/meter—

Kelvin (W/m-K).

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the first diamond layer having the first thermal conductivity of about 800 to 1000 Watts/meter—

Kelvin (W/m-K).

11. The device of claim 8, further comprising an interlayer disposed between the first layer of diamond and the GaN layer.

12. The device of claim 8 wherein the device is one of a high frequency device, a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) or a microwave device.

13. The device of claim 8 wherein the GaN layer comprises at least one undoped GaN, doped GaN or GaN combined with another element.

14. A device, comprising:

a gallium nitride (GaN) layer;

a first layer of diamond having a first thermal conductivity disposed on the GaN layer; and

a second layer of diamond having a second thermal conductivity greater than the first thermal conductivity deposited on the first layer of diamond,

wherein the first layer of diamond is disposed on a first surface of the GaN layer, the GaN layer further comprising a third diamond layer disposed on a second surface of the GaN layer opposite the first surface of the GaN layer.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the second diamond layer about 4 mils or greater and the first diamond layer is less than about 1 mil.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising an interlayer disposed between the first layer of diamond and the GaN layer.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein the device is one of a high frequency device, a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) or a microwave device.

18. The device of claim 14 wherein the GaN layer comprises at least one undoped GaN, doped GaN or GaN combined with another element.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein the second diamond layer has the second thermal conductivity greater than 1500 Watts/meter—

Kelvin (W/m-K).

20. The device of claim 14 wherein the second diamond layer is between about 2 mils or greater.