Dislocation reduction in non-polar gallium nitride thin films
US6900070B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 15, 2003 |
| Grant date | May 31, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 15, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/02647
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Lateral epitaxial overgrowth of non-polar (11{overscore (2)}0) a-plane GaN seed layers reduces threading dislocations in the GaN films. First, a thin patterned dielectric mask is applied to the seed layer. Second, a selective epitaxial regrowth is performed to achieve a lateral overgrowth based on the patterned mask. Upon regrowth, the GaN films initially grow vertically through openings in the dielectric mask before laterally overgrowing the mask in directions perpendicular to the vertical growth direction. Threading dislocations are reduced in the overgrown regions by (1) the mask blocking the propagation of dislocations vertically into the growing film and (2) the bending of dislocations through the transition from vertical to lateral growth.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.