US5633192A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for epitaxially growing gallium nitride layers
Assignee: Boston University
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Filing: 1995-01-13
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Granted: 1997-05-27
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Expires: 2015-01-13
Abstract
Abstract An epitaxial growth system comprises a housing around an epitaxial growth chamber. A substrate support is located within the growth chamber. A gallium source introduces gallium into the growth chamber and directs the gallium towards the substrate. An activated nitrogen source introduces activated nitrogen into the growth chamber and directs the activated nitrogen towards the substrate. The activated nitrogen comprises ionic nitrogen species and atomic nitrogen species. An external magnet and/or an exit aperture control the amount of atomic nitrogen species and ionic nitrogen species reaching the substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Theodore D. Moustakas
- 👤 Richard J. Molnar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:47
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/81; H10H20/822; H10H20/824; H10H20/825; C; C30; C30B; C30B23/00; C30B23/002; C30B29/00; C30B29/10; C30B29/40; C30B29/403; C30B29/406; H10H20/01; H10H20/011; H10H20/013; H10H20/0133; H10H20/01335; H10H20/0137; H10H20/8252; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/22; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/2921; H10P14/2926; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3214; H10P14/3216; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3414; H10P14/3416; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3444
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for epitaxially growing GaN layers comprising the steps of: providing a substrate within an epitaxial growth chamber; introducing molecular gallium into the growth chamber and directing the molecular gallium toward the substrate; introducing activated nitrogen from a nitrogen source into the growth chamber and directing the activated nitrogen toward the substrate, the activated nitrogen comprising ionic and neutral excited species, wherein the neutral excited species comprise atomic species and excited molecular species; controlling the ratio of the neutral excited species versus the ionic nitrogen species by varying the diameter of an exit aperture of the nitrogen source; and growing a GaN layer on the substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for epitaxially growing GaN layers comprising the steps of: providing a substrate within an epitaxial growth chamber; introducing molecular gallium into the growth chamber and directing the molecular gallium toward the substrate; introducing activated nitrogen from a nitrogen source into the growth chamber and directing the activated nitrogen toward the substrate, the activated nitrogen comprising ionic and neutral excited species, wherein the neutral excited species comprise atomic species and excited molecular species; controlling the ratio of the neutral excited species versus the ionic nitrogen species by varying the diameter of an exit aperture of the nitrogen source; and growing a GaN layer on the substrate.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
17 words
The method of claim, 1 wherein the step of controlling comprises the step of biasing the substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of controlling comprises the step of locating a magnetic device at a position with respect to the growth chamber to attract ionic nitrogen species away from the substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the activated nitrogen is provided with an activated nitrogen source and the step of controlling comprises the step of controlling the pressure inside the activated nitrogen source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the step of introducing activated nitrogen comprises introducing activated nitrogen through an ECR source having an exit aperture and wherein the step of controlling the pressure comprises the step of varying the diameter of the exit aperture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: growing a GaN buffer layer on the substrate at a first temperature; raising the temperature to a second temperature higher than the first temperature; growing a first doped GaN layer on the GaN buffer layer; and growing a second doped GaN layer on the first doped GaN layer, the second doped GaN layer being doped oppositely to the first doped GaN layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of: contacting a first electrode to the first doped GaN layer; and contacting a second electrode to the second doped GaN layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 5 wherein one of the first and second doped GaN layers is doped p-type using magnesium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of biasing the first and second doped GaN layers to form a light emitting device.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of making a light emitting device comprising the steps of: providing a substrate within an epitaxial growth chamber; introducing molecular gallium into the growth chamber and directing the molecular gallium toward the substrate; introducing activated nitrogen from a nitrogen source into the growth chamber and directing the activated nitrogen toward the substrate, the activated nitrogen comprising ionic and neutral excited species, wherein the neutral excited species comprise atomic species and excited molecular species; controlling the ratio of the neutral excited species versus the ionic nitrogen species by varying the diameter of an exit aperture of the nitrogen source; and growing a GaN layer on the substrate.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of making a light emitting device comprising the steps of: providing a substrate within an epitaxial growth chamber; introducing molecular gallium into the growth chamber and directing the molecular gallium toward the substrate; introducing activated nitrogen from a nitrogen source into the growth chamber and directing the activated nitrogen toward the substrate, the activated nitrogen comprising ionic and neutral excited species, wherein the neutral excited species comprise atomic species and excited molecular species; controlling the ratio of the neutral excited species versus the ionic nitrogen species by varying the diameter of an exit aperture of the nitrogen source; and growing a GaN layer on the substrate.
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