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Defect Reduction in GaN films using in-situ SiNx Nanomask

Technology Benefits

Uniform defect reduction across filmHighly efficient process capable of being done on the nanometer scaleImproved performance of semi-polar and non-polar group-III nitride based devicesHighly adaptable and easily controllable process

Technology Application

LDs and LEDsGroup-III nitride materialsHigh powered electronic and optoelectronic devices

Detailed Technology Description

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have developed an efficient method to significantly reduce defects in non-polar and semi-polar group-III nitride films. Through the use of in-situ SiNx as a nanomask when growing GaN substrates, researchers have demonstrated reduced stacking fault density, reduced thread dislocation density, reduced surface roughness, reduced sub-micron pits, and increased luminescence. Compared to the lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) technique, this invention has the advantage of being a simple process that avoids contamination characteristic of the ex-situ process used in LEO. Unlike LEO, this new process also facilitates nanometer scale lateral epitaxial overgrowth at the open pores of the film which reduces the differences between the wing and window regions of film which has adverse effects on devices if untreated. All structure improvements contribute to an overall reduction of defects uniformly across the film which significantly increases the efficiency of the material.

Supplementary Information

Patent Number: US7723216B2
Application Number: US2007801283A
Inventor: Chakraborty, Arpan | Kim, Kwang-Choong | Speck, James S. | DenBaars, Steven P. | Mishra, Umesh K.
Priority Date: 9 May 2006
Priority Number: US7723216B2
Application Date: 9 May 2007
Publication Date: 25 May 2010
IPC Current: H01L002120
US Class: 438483 | 257189 | 438479 | 438481 | 438604 | 438689
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: In-situ defect reduction techniques for nonpolar and semipolar (Al, Ga, In)N
Usefulness: In-situ defect reduction techniques for nonpolar and semipolar (Al, Ga, In)N
Summary: For growing a reduced defect density nonpolar or semipolar III-nitride layer used for fabricating nonpolar or semipolar III-nitride based device (claimed).
Novelty: Growing a reduced defect density nonpolar or semipolar III-nitride layer involves growing nonpolar or semipolar III-nitride layer on silicon nitride nanomask layer

Industry

Electronics

Sub Category

Semiconductor

Application No.

7723216

Others

Background

The usefulness of non-polar and semi-polar group-III nitrides such as gallium nitride (GaN) and its alloys has been well established for its use in the fabrication of optoelectronic and high-powered electronic devices. Given recent trends in industry standards there is considerable interest in the growth of nonpolar (a- and m-plane) GaN based epitaxial films. The problems associated with the growth of these nonpolar GaN based films is characterized by high defect density, reduced carrier mobility, and low reliability which all contribute to an overall lower efficiency. However, high performance devices can be achieved by eliminating these defects by improving the structural quality of the nonpolar GaN films.

 

Additional Technologies by these Inventors

• Reduced Dislocation Density of Non-Polar GaN Grown by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy
• Growth of Planar, Non-Polar, A-Plane GaN by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy
• Nonpolar (Al, B, In, Ga)N Quantum Well Design
• Cleaved Facet Edge-Emitting Laser Diodes Grown on Semipolar GaN
• Etching Technique for the Fabrication of Thin (Al, In, Ga)N Layers
• Enhancing Growth of Semipolar (Al,In,Ga,B)N Films via MOCVD
• GaN-Based Thermoelectric Device for Micro-Power Generation
• Growth of High-Quality, Thick, Non-Polar M-Plane GaN Films
• Growth of Planar Semi-Polar Gallium Nitride
• Defect Reduction of Non-Polar and Semi-Polar III-Nitrides
• MOCVD Growth of Planar Non-Polar M-Plane Gallium Nitride
• Lateral Growth Method for Defect Reduction of Semipolar Nitride Films
• Low Temperature Deposition of Magnesium Doped Nitride Films
• Improved Manufacturing of Solid State Lasers via Patterning of Photonic Crystals
• Novel Current-Blocking Layer in High-Power Current Aperture Vertical Electron Transistors (CAVETs)
• Single or Multi-Color High Efficiency LED by Growth Over a Patterned Substrate
• High Efficiency LED with Optimized Photonic Crystal Extractor
• Packaging Technique for the Fabrication of Polarized Light Emitting Diodes
• LED Device Structures with Minimized Light Re-Absorption
• (In,Ga,Al)N Optoelectronic Devices with Thicker Active Layers for Improved Performance
• Polarization-Doped Field Effect Transistors with Increased Performance
• Oxyfluoride Phosphors for Use in White Light LEDs
• III-V Nitride Device Structures on Patterned Substrates
• Growth of Semipolar III-V Nitride Films with Lower Defect Density
• High-Quality N-Face GaN, InN, AlN by MOCVD
• Enhanced Optical Polarization of Nitride LEDs by Increased Indium Incorporation
• Semipolar-Based Yellow, Green, Blue LEDs with Improved Performance
• Hexagonal Wurtzite Type Epitaxial Layer with a Low Alkali-Metal Concentration
• Photoelectrochemical Etching Of P-Type Semiconductor Heterostructures
• Photoelectrochemical Etching for Chip Shaping Of LEDs
• Highly Efficient Blue-Violet III-Nitride Semipolar Laser Diodes
• Semi-polar LED/LD Devices on Relaxed Template with Misfit Dislocation at Hetero-interface
• Limiting Strain-Relaxation in III-Nitride Heterostructures by Substrate Patterning
• Suppression of Defect Formation and Increase in Critical Thickness by Silicon Doping
• High Efficiency Semipolar AlGaN-Cladding-Free Laser Diodes
• Low-Cost Zinc Oxide for High-Power-Output, GaN-Based LEDs (UC Case 2010-183)
• Low-Cost Zinc Oxide for High-Power-Output, GaN-Based LEDs (UC Case 2010-150)
• Method for Growing Self-Assembled Quantum Dot Lattices
• Method for Increasing GaN Substrate Area in Nitride Devices
• GaN-based Vertical Metal Oxide Semiconductor and Junction Field Effect Transistors
• Flexible Arrays of MicroLEDs using the Photoelectrochemical (PEC) Liftoff Technique
• Optimization of Laser Bar Orientation for Nonpolar Laser Diodes
• UV Optoelectronic Devices Based on Nonpolar and Semi-polar AlInN and AlInGaN Alloys
• Low-Droop LED Structure on GaN Semi-polar Substrates
• Improved Fabrication of Nonpolar InGaN Thin Films, Heterostructures, and Devices
• Growth of High-Performance M-plane GaN Optical Devices
• Method for Enhancing Growth of Semipolar Nitride Devices
• Transparent Mirrorless (TML) LEDs
• Solid Solution Phosphors for Use in Solid State White Lighting Applications
• Technique for the Nitride Growth of Semipolar Thin Films, Heterostructures, and Semiconductor Devices
• Planar, Nonpolar M-Plane III-Nitride Films Grown on Miscut Substrates
• High-Efficiency, Mirrorless Non-Polar and Semi-Polar Light Emitting Devices
• High Light Extraction Efficiency III-Nitride LED
• Tunable White Light Based on Polarization-Sensitive LEDs
• Method for Improved Surface of (Ga,Al,In,B)N Films on Nonpolar or Semipolar Subtrates
• Improved Anisotropic Strain Control in Semipolar Nitride Devices
• III-Nitride Tunnel Junction with Modified Interface
• Enhanced Light Extraction LED with a Tunnel Junction Contact Wafer Bonded to a Conductive Oxide
• Increased Light Extraction with Multistep Deposition of ZnO on GaN
• Hybrid Growth Method for Improved III-Nitride Tunnel Junction Devices
• Calcium Impurity Reduction for Improved Light-Emitting Devices
• Contact Architectures for Tunnel Junction Devices
• New Blue Phosphor for High Heat Applications
• A Structure For Increasing Mobility In A High-Electron-Mobility Transistor
• Internal Heating for Ammonothermal Growth of Group-III Nitride Crystals
• III-N Based Material Structures and Circuit Modules Based on Strain Management
• Methods for Fabricating III-Nitride Tunnel Junction Devices
• Achieving “Active P-Type Layer/Layers” In III-Nitride Epitaxial Or Device Structures Having Buried P-Type Layers
• Improved Performance of III-Nitride Photonic Devices
• Laser Diode System For Horticultural Lighting
• Fabricating Nitride Layers
• Reduction in Leakage Current and Increase in Efficiency of III-Nitride MicroLEDS
• Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers with Continuous Wave Operation
• Laser Lighting System Incorporating an Additional Scattered Laser
• Gated Electrodes For Electrolysis And Electrosynthesis
• Fabrication of N-face to Improve Telecommunications Efficiency
• Methods for Locally Changing the Electric Field Distribution in Electron Devices

Tech ID/UC Case

24135/2006-530-0

Related Cases

2006-530-0

*Abstract

An efficient method to significantly reduce defects in non-polar and semi-polar group-III nitride films.

 

*IP Issue Date

May 25, 2010

*Principal Investigator

Name: Arpan Chakraborty

Department:

Name: Steven DenBaars

Department:

Name: Kwang Choong Kim

Department:

Name: Umesh Mishra

Department:

Name: James Speck

Department:

Country/Region

USA