Epitaxial structure and method for forming the same

Inventors: Hsin-Chiao Fang (MiaoLi County, TW); Shen-Jie Wang (MiaoLi County, TW); Yen-Lin Lai (MiaoLi County, TW)

Assignee: PlayNitride Display Co., Ltd.

H10H20/013 H10H20/812 H10H20/824 H10H20/83

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12690294
App. No.: 17/989,700
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An epitaxial structure including a first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer, and an interface treatment layer is provided. The first epitaxial layer is an ohmic contact layer. The second epitaxial layer is disposed on the first epitaxial layer and is a phosphide compound layer, where a material of the second epitaxial layer is different from a material of the first epitaxial layer. The interface treatment layer contacts the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer and is located between the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer. An image contrast ratio of a transmission electron microscope (TEM) of the interface treatment layer to the first epitaxial layer and an image contrast ratio of the TEM of the interface treatment layer to the second epitaxial layer are both greater than 1.005. A method for forming an epitaxial structure is also provided.

Claims (36)

1 . An epitaxial structure, comprising:

a first epitaxial layer, which is an ohmic contact layer;

a second epitaxial layer, disposed on the first epitaxial layer and being a phosphide compound layer, wherein a material of the second epitaxial layer is different from a material of the first epitaxial layer; and

an interface treatment layer, contacting the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer and located between the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer, wherein an image contrast ratio of a transmission electron microscope of the interface treatment layer to the first epitaxial layer and an image contrast ratio of the transmission electron microscope of the interface treatment layer to the second epitaxial layer are both greater than 1.005,

wherein a concentration of a second group-III element and a concentration of a third group-III element in the interface treatment layer gradually increase from the one side of the interface treatment layer close to the first epitaxial layer to the other side of the interface treatment layer close to the second epitaxial layer, and an atomic number of the first group-III element is smaller than an atomic number of the second group-III element but larger than an atomic number of the third group-III element, and

wherein a concentration of a first group-V element in the interface treatment layer gradually decreases from one side of the interface treatment layer close to the first epitaxial layer to the other side of the interface treatment layer close to the second epitaxial layer, and a concentration of a second group-V element in the interface treatment layer gradually increases from the one side of the interface treatment layer close to the first epitaxial layer to the other side of the interface treatment layer close to the second epitaxial layer, and an atomic number of the first group-V element is larger than an atomic number of the second group-V element.

2 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , wherein an electron transmissivity of the interface treatment layer to the transmission electron microscope is greater than an electron transmissivity of the first epitaxial layer and an electron transmissivity of the second epitaxial layer to the transmission electron microscope.

3 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , wherein the material of the second epitaxial layer comprises (Al x Ga 1-x ) y In 1-y As z P 1-z , wherein 0≤x≤1, 0≤y≤1and 0≤z<1.

4 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , wherein a doping type of the first epitaxial layer is identical to a doping type of the second epitaxial layer.

5 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first group-III element is gallium, the second group-III element is indium, and the third group-III element is aluminum.

6 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first group-V element is arsenic, and the second group-V element is phosphor.

7 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , wherein a material of the interface treatment layer comprises aluminum gallium indium phosphide, and a concentration of aluminum in the interface treatment layer gradually increases from one side of the interface treatment layer close to the first epitaxial layer to the other side of the interface treatment layer close to the second epitaxial layer.

8 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrode disposed on a surface of the first epitaxial layer far from the second epitaxial layer.

9 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , wherein elements of the first epitaxial layer, the interface treatment layer, and the second epitaxial layer comprise gallium, and a concentration of the gallium in the interface treatment layer gradually decreases from one side of the interface treatment layer close to the first epitaxial layer to the other side of the interface treatment layer close to the second epitaxial layer.

10 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a third epitaxial layer, disposed on one side of the first epitaxial layer far from the second epitaxial layer; and

another interface treatment layer, disposed between the first epitaxial layer and the third epitaxial layer, wherein elements of the first epitaxial layer, the another interface treatment layer, and the third epitaxial layer all comprise gallium, and a concentration of the gallium in the another interface treatment layer is greater than a concentration of the gallium in the third epitaxial layer.

11 . The epitaxial structure according to claim 10 , wherein the concentration of the gallium in the another interface treatment layer gradually decreases from one side of the another interface treatment layer close to the first epitaxial layer to the other side of the another interface treatment layer close to the third epitaxial layer.

12 . A method for forming an epitaxial structure, the method comprising:

forming a first epitaxial layer, which is an ohmic contact layer;

gradually changing a proportion of a reactive carrier gas and forming an interface treatment layer; and

forming a second epitaxial layer on the interface treatment layer, wherein the second epitaxial layer is a phosphide compound layer, and a material of the second epitaxial layer is different from a material of the first epitaxial layer, whereby forming the epitaxial structure comprising:

the first epitaxial layer;

the second epitaxial layer, disposed on the first epitaxial layer; and

the interface treatment layer, contacting the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer and located between the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer, wherein an image contrast ratio of a transmission electron microscope of the interface treatment layer to the first epitaxial layer and an image contrast ratio of the transmission electron microscope of the interface treatment layer to the second epitaxial layer are both greater than 1.005,

wherein a concentration of a first group-III element in the interface treatment layer gradually decreases from one side of the interface treatment layer close to the first epitaxial layer to the other side of the interface treatment layer close to the second epitaxial layer, wherein a concentration of a second group-III element and a concentration of a third group-III element in the interface treatment layer gradually increase from the one side of the interface treatment layer close to the first epitaxial layer to the other side of the interface treatment layer close to the second epitaxial layer, and an atomic number of the first group-III element is smaller than an atomic number of the second group-III element but larger than an atomic number of the third group-III element, and

13 . The method for forming the epitaxial structure according to claim 12 , in the step of forming the interface treatment layer, gradually reducing a proportion of a carrier gas containing the first group-III element and gradually increasing a proportion of a carrier gas containing the second group-III element and a proportion of a carrier gas containing the third group-III element.

14 . The method for forming the epitaxial structure according to claim 13 , in the step of forming the interface treatment layer, gradually reducing a proportion of a carrier gas containing the first group-V element and gradually increasing a proportion of a carrier gas containing the second group-V element.

15 . The method for forming the epitaxial structure according to claim 14 , in the step of forming the interface treatment layer, performing a step of starting to gradually reduce the proportion of the carrier gas containing the first group-V element and gradually increase the proportion of the carrier gas containing the second group-V element earlier than a step of starting to gradually reduce the proportion of the carrier gas containing the first group-III element and gradually increase the proportion of the carrier gas containing the second group-III element and the proportion of the carrier gas containing the third group-III element.

16 . The method for forming the epitaxial structure according to claim 12 , further comprising:

before forming the first epitaxial layer, sequentially forming an etch stop layer and another interface treatment layer, wherein the first epitaxial layer is formed on the another interface treatment layer.

17 . The method for forming the epitaxial structure according to claim 16 , in the step of forming the another interface treatment layer, gradually increasing a proportion of a carrier gas containing the first group-III element and gradually reducing a proportion of a carrier gas containing the second group-III element, wherein an atomic number of the first group III element is smaller than an atomic number of the second group-III element.

18 . The method for forming the epitaxial structure according to claim 17 , in the step of forming the another interface treatment layer, gradually increasing a proportion of a carrier gas containing the first group-V element and gradually reducing a proportion of a carrier gas containing the second group-V element.

19 . The method for forming the epitaxial structure according to claim 18 , wherein the step of starting to gradually increase the proportion of the carrier gas containing the first group-III element and gradually reduce the proportion of the carrier gas containing the second group-III element is performed earlier than the step of starting to gradually increase the proportion of the carrier gas containing the first group-V element and gradually reduce the proportion of the carrier gas containing the second group-V element.