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

• US 8,405,128 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2010
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Sato, Hitoshi, Kaeding, John F., Iza, Michael, Haskell, Benjamin A., Baker, Troy J., DenBaars, Steven P., Nakamura, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Leonard
• Application Number:
  US12/716,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20100155778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 257/11, 257 79-103, 257/189, 257/200, 257/201, 257/615, 257/745
• US Class Current: 257/201
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/02 Epitaxial-layer growth
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/403 AIII-nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/406 Gallium nitride
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02365 Forming inorganic semiconducting materials on a substrate for light-sensitive devices H01L31/00
• 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 21/02502 consisting of two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02516 Crystal orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/045 by their particular orientation of crystalline planes

Abstract

A method for enhancing growth of device-quality planar semipolar nitride semiconductor thin films via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) by using an (Al, In, Ga)N nucleation layer containing at least some indium. Specifically, the method comprises loading a substrate into a reactor, heating the substrate under a flow of nitrogen and/or hydrogen and/or ammonia, depositing an In_xGa_1-xN nucleation layer on the heated substrate, depositing a semipolar nitride semiconductor thin film on the In_xGa_1-xN nucleation layer, and cooling the substrate under a nitrogen overpressure.

Claims

1. A semiconductor film, comprising:

a semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film deposited on a nitride nucleation or buffer layer, wherein;

the nitride nucleation or buffer layer includes at least some indium,

a surface area greater than 10 microns wide of the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film is substantially parallel to a substrate surface upon which the nitride nucleation or buffer layer is grown, and

the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film has a surface morphology comprising a planar film surface with fewer surface undulations and a reduced number of crystallographic defects as compared to a semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film grown without the nucleation or buffer layer.

2. The film of claim 1, wherein the nitride nucleation or buffer layer is grown on a (10 10) sapphire substrate.

3. The film of claim 1, wherein the nitride nucleation or buffer layer is grown on an {11 22} gallium nitride template grown on a (10 10) sapphire substrate.

4. The film of claim 1, wherein the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film comprises a {11 22} semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film.

5. A device using the film of claim 1.

6. The film of claim 1, wherein the nitride nucleation or buffer layer is a first nitride nucleation or buffer layer deposited on a substrate.

7. The film of claim 6, wherein the first nitride buffer or nucleation layer comprises III-nitride or an alloy composition of (Ga,Al,In,B)N having a formula Ga_nAl_xIn_yB_zN where 0≦

n≦

1,0≦

x≦

1,0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1and n+x+y+z=1.

8. The film of claim 7, wherein the substrate is Gallium Nitride and the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film comprises an alloy composition of (Ga,Al,In,B)N semiconductors having a formula Ga_nAl_xIn_yB_zN where 0≦

n≦

1,0≦

x≦

1,0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1 and n+x+y+z=1.

9. The film of claim 8, wherein the semipolar III- nitride semiconductor film comprises a {10 13} semipolar gallium nitride film.

10. The film of claim 8, wherein the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film comprises a {10 11} semipolar gallium nitride film.

11. A method of fabricating a semiconductor film, comprising:

depositing a semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film on a nitride nucleation or buffer layer, wherein;

the nitride nucleation or buffer layer includes at least some indium,

a surface area greater than 10 microns wide of the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film is substantially parallel to a substrate surface upon which the nitride nucleation or buffer layer is grown, and

the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film has a surface morphology comprising a planar film surface with fewer surface undulations and a reduced number of crystallographic defects as compared to a semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film grown without the nucleation or buffer layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the nitride nucleation or buffer layer is grown on a (10 10) sapphire substrate.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the nitride nucleation or buffer layer is grown on an {11 22} gallium nitride template grown on a (10 10) sapphire substrate.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film comprises a {11 22} semipolar nitride semiconductor film.

15. A film fabricated using the method of claim 11.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the nitride nucleation or buffer layer is a first nitride nucleation or buffer layer deposited on a substrate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first nitride buffer or nucleation layer comprises III-nitride or an alloy composition of (Ga,Al,In,B)N having a formula Ga_nAl_xIn_yB_zN where 0≦

n≦

1,0≦

x≦

1,0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1 and n+x+y+z=1.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate comprises Gallium Nitride and the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film comprises an alloy composition of (Ga,Al,In,B)N semiconductors having a formula Ga_nAl_xIn_yB_zN where 0≦

n≦

1,0≦

x≦

1,0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1 and n+x+y+z=1.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film comprises a {10 13} semipolar gallium nitride film.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the semipolar III-nitride semiconductor film comprises a {10 11} semipolar gallium nitride film.