Dislocation reduction in non-polar gallium nitride thin films

Details Dislocation reduction in non-polar gallium nitride thin films Dislocation reduction in non-polar gallium nitride thin films

2005-05-31

2005-05-31

Fourson, George (Department: 2823)

Semiconductor device manufacturing: process

Making device or circuit emissive of nonelectrical signal

Mesa formation

C438S481000, C257SE21108

Reexamination Certificate

active

06900070

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.

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