Group III nitride semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same, group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device and method for manufacturing the same, and lamp

• US 8,569,794 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Miki, Hisayuki, Yokoyama, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): GREEN, TELLY D
• Application Number:
  US12/921,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20110101391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 257/103, 257/79, 257/80, 257/82, 257/89, 257/93, 257/98, 438/48, 438/604, 438/620, 438/22, 438/E21.108
• US Class Current: 257/103
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0272 Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/303 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02516 Crystal orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02631 Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48257 connecting the wire to a die pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49107 on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/16 : with a particular crystal structure or orientation, e.g. polycrystalline, amorphous or porous
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 : containing nitrogen

Abstract

A Group III nitride semiconductor device of the present invention is obtained by laminating at least a buffer layer (12) made of a Group III nitride compound on a substrate (11), wherein the buffer layer (12) is made of AlN, and a lattice constant of a-axis of the buffer layer (12) is smaller than a lattice constant of a-axis of AlN in a bulk state.

Claims

1. A Group III nitride semiconductor device which is obtained by laminating at least a buffer layer made of a Group III nitride compound and a ground layer made of a Group III nitride semiconductor, which is formed on the buffer layer, on a substrate, wherein

the buffer layer is formed of a single crystalline structure,

the buffer layer is made of AlN,

a thickness of the buffer layer is within a range of 20 to 100 nm,

a lattice constant of a-axis of the buffer layer is smaller than a lattice constant of a-axis of AlN in a bulk state,

the ground layer is made of GaN and is in contact with the buffer layer, and

lattice constants of the buffer layer satisfy a relationship represented by a formula (1):

(c₀−

c)/(a₀−

a)≧

−

1.4 

 

(1)

wherein in the formula (1), c₀ represents a lattice constant of c-axis of a bulky AlN, c represents a lattice constant of c-axis of the buffer layer, a₀ represents a lattice constant a-axis of bulky AlN, and a represents a lattice constant of a-axis of the buffer layer.

2. The Group III nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a lattice constant of c-axis of the buffer layer is 5 Å

or more.

3. The Group III nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a half maximum full-width of X-ray rocking curve of a (0002) plane of the ground layer is 100 arcsec or less.

4. The Group III nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a half maximum full-width of X-ray rocking curve of a (10-10) plane of the ground layer is 300 arcsec or less.

5. A Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device which is obtained by sequentially laminating at least an n-type semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type semiconductor layer on the ground layer of the Group III nitride semiconductor device according to claim 1.

9. A lamp which comprises the Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 5.

6. A method for manufacturing a Group III nitride semiconductor device, comprising:

laminating at least a buffer layer made of a Group III nitride compound and a ground layer made of a Group III nitride semiconductor, which is formed on the buffer layer, on a substrate, wherein

a thickness of the buffer layer is within a range of 20 to 100 nm,

the buffer layer is formed of a single crystalline structure,

the buffer layer is made of AlN under a condition where a lattice constant of a-axis of the buffer layer is smaller than a lattice constant of a-axis of AlN in a bulk state'"'"'

the ground layer is made of GaN and is in contact with the buffer layer, and

lattice constants of the buffer layer satisfy a relationship represented by a formula (1);

(c₀−

c)/(a₀−

a)≧

−

1.4 

 

(1)

wherein in the formula (1), c₀ represents a lattice constant of c-axis of a bulky AlN, c represents a lattice constant of c-axis of the buffer layer, a₀ represents a lattice constant a-axis of bulky AlN, and a represents a lattice constant of a-axis of the buffer layer.

7. The method for manufacturing a Group III nitride semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the ground layer is formed on the buffer layer by using an MOCVD method.

8. A method for manufacturing a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising sequentially laminating at least an n-type semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type semiconductor layer on the ground layer of the Group III nitride semiconductor device obtained by the manufacturing method according to claim 6.

10. The method for manufacturing a Group III nitride semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the buffer layer is formed by using plasma to activate and react a Group V element-containing gas and a metal material.