Defect reduction in semiconductor materials

US7399684B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK—NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, Cork · IE

Inventors

• Brendan Roycroft · Blarney, IE
• Pleun Maaskant · Castlecomer, IE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 10, 2005
• Grant date: Jul 15, 2008
• Expiry date: Dec 16, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/02658
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An initial epitaxial layer of GaN is grown on a sapphire substrate. The epitaxial layer is then etched in a reactive ion etch (RIE) chamber. This etching acts preferentially at defects, causing them to become enlarged cavities. The cavities are too large in proportion to the crystal lattice to act as defects in the usual sense, and so a further GaN epitaxial layer fills into the cavities. Thus, propagation of defects is avoided.