martes, 16 de marzo de 2010

US Patent 6475277 - Group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method and vapor phase growth apparatus

US Patent 6475277 - Group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method and vapor phase growth apparatus

Abstract

A vapor phase growth apparatus 1 for growing a group III-V nitride semiconductor (GaN) comprises a reaction ampoule 3 having a container 11 disposed therein for containing a group III element and an inlet 7 for introducing nitrogen; excitation means 15 for plasma-exciting nitrogen introduced from the inlet 7; and heating means 13 for heating a seed crystal 10 disposed within the reaction ampoule 3 and the container 11; wherein, upon growing the group III-V nitride semiconductor on the seed crystal 10, nitrogen is introduced from the inlet 7, and no gas is let out from within the reaction ampoule 3.

Claims

1. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method for growing a group III-V nitride semiconductor on a seed crystal disposed within a reaction ampoule surrounded by a heater for heating said ampoule, said method comprising the steps of:

heating said reaction ampoule by said heater, said seed crystal being indirectly heated through said reaction ampoule;

plasma-exciting nitrogen continuously introduced into said reaction ampoule and evaporating a group III element disposed within said reaction ampoule; and

causing thus plasma-excited nitrogen and evaporated group III element to react with each other, so as to grow the III-V nitride semiconductor on said seed crystal,

wherein said step of growing the group III-V nitride semiconductor on said seed crystal includes a step of causing said reaction ampoule to maintain substantially a constant total pressure of about 10 Pa to about 4000 Pa therein.

2. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method according to claim 1, wherein positive and negative pulsed voltages are alternately applied between two electrodes, so as to plasma-excite said nitrogen between said electrodes.

3. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method for growing a group III-V nitride semiconductor on a seed crystal disposed within a reaction ampoule, said method comprising the steps of:

causing nitrogen continuously introduced into said reaction ampoule to react with hydrogen within said reaction ampoule upon plasma excitation, so as to generate a hydride of nitrogen, and causing said hydride of nitrogen and a group III element evaporated within said reaction ampoule to react with each other, so as to grow the group III-V nitride semiconductor on said seed crystal; and then
causing hydrogen generated upon growing said group III-V nitride semiconductor and nitrogen continuously introduced into said reaction ampoule to react with each other upon plasma excitation, so as to generate a hydride of nitrogen.

4. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method according to claim 3, wherein positive and negative pulsed voltages are alternately applied between two electrodes, so as to cause said nitrogen and said hydrogen upon plasma excitation between said electrodes.

5. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method according to claim 3, wherein said nitrogen is introduced into said reaction ampoule such that said reaction ampoule maintains substantially a constant total pressure therein.

6. A group III-V nitride semiconductor grouwth method for growing a group III-V nitride semiconductor on a seed crystal disposed within a closed reaction ampoule, said method compriing the stepd of:

causing a group III element disposed within said closed reaction ampoule and a halogen molecule of halide to react with each other, so as to generate a halide of said group III element, and causing said halide of group III element and plasma-excited nitrogen to react with each other, so as to grow the group III-V nitride semiconductor on said seed crystal; and then

causing the halogen molecule or halide generated when growing said group III-V nitride semiconductor and the group III element disposed within said closed reaction ampoule to react with wach other, so as to generate a halide of said group III element.

7. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method according to claim 6, wherein positive and negative pulsed voltages are alternately applied between two electrodes, so as to plasma-excite said nitrogen between said electrodes.

8. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method according to claim 6, wherein said nitrogen is introduced into said reaction ampoule such that said reaction ampoule maintains substantially a constant total pressure therein.

9. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method for growing a group III-V nitride semiconductor on a seed crystal disposed within a reaction ampoule, said method comprising the steps of:

causing nitrogen introduced into said reaction ampoule and hydrogen within said reaction ampoule to react with each other upon plasma excitation, so as to generate a hydride of nitrogen, and also causing a group III element disposed within said reaction ampoule and a halogen molecule or halide to react with each other, so as to generate a halide of said group III element, and causing said hydride of nitrogen and said halide of group III element to react with each other, so as to grow the group III-V nitride semiconductor on said seed crystal;
 
and then

causing said halogen molecule or halide generated upon growing said group III-V nitride semiconductor and the group III element disposed within said reaction ampoule to react with each other, so as to generate a halide of said group III element, and also causing hydrogen which is generated upon growing said group III-V nitride semiconductor and nitrogen to react with each other upon plasma excitation, so as to generate a hydride of nitrogen.

10. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method according to claim 9, wherein positive and negative pulsed voltages are alternately applied between two electrodes, so as to cause said nitrogen and said hydrogen to react with each other upon plasma excitation between said electrodes.

11. A group III-V nitride semiconductor growth method according to claim 9, wherein said nitrogen is introduced into said reaction ampoule such that said reaction ampoule maintains substantially a constant total pressure therein.

12. A vapor phase growth apparatus for growing a group III-V nitride semiconductor, said apparatus comprising:

a reaction ampoule having a container disposed therein for containing a group III element and an inlet for introducing nitrogen;

excitation means for plasma-exciting said nitrogen introduced from said inlet;

heating means surrounding said reaction ampoule for heating indirectly a seed crystal disposed within said reaction ampoule and said container; and

pressure means for maintaining at substantially a constant total pressure of about 10 Pa to about 4000 Pa therein,

wherein, upon growing the group III-V nitride semiconductor on said seed crystal, nitrogen is introduced from said inlet, and no gas is let out from within said reaction ampoule.

13. A vapor phase growth apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said excitation means has two electrodes, and a high-frequency power source for alternately applying positive and negative pulsed voltages between said

Leonard Quintero C.I 18.424.427 (EES)

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