IP Library Granted Patent US 7,253,499
Granted Patent B2
US 7,253,499 · App. 10/953,354 · Granted Aug 7, 2007

III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate, method of making the same and III-V group nitride system semiconductor wafer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,253,499
App. No.
10/953,354
Granted
Aug 7, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate has III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal with a hexagonal crystal system crystalline structure. The substrate is provided with a polished surface at every position of which crystal orientation perpendicular to the substrate surface is inclined 0.09 degrees or more from the C-axis direction of the substrate.

Claims (55)

1. A III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate, comprising:

III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal with a hexagonal crystal system crystalline structure,

wherein the substrate is provided with a polished surface at every position of which crystal orientation perpendicular to the substrate surface is inclined 0.09 degrees or more from the C-axis direction of the substrate, and dispersion in the inclination from the C-axis direction is within ±1 degree.

2. The III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate according to claim 1 , wherein:

the III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal self-standing substrate is a gallium nitride single crystal substrate.

3. The III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate according to claim 1 , wherein:

the III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal self-standing substrate is a gallium nitride single crystal substrate, and the crystal orientation is inclined in the a-axis direction of the substrate.

4. The III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate according to claim 1 , wherein:

the inclination of crystal orientation has an in-plane dispersion of within ±1 degree and the minimum inclination is 0.09 degrees or more and the maximum inclination is 24 degrees or less.

5. A III-V group nitride system semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate that comprises III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal with a hexagonal crystal system crystalline structure, wherein the substrate is provided with a polished surface at every position of which crystal orientation perpendicular to the substrate surface is inclined 0.09 degrees or more from the C-axis direction of the substrate, and dispersion in the inclination from the C-axis direction is within ±1 degree, and

a III-V group nitride system semiconductor layer that is homo-epitaxially grown on the self-standing substrate.

6. A method of making a III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate, comprising:

providing an underlying substrate with a surface inclined θ degrees in a specific direction from a low index surface of the underlying substrate;

growing a thick film of III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal on the underlying substrate; and

separating the grown thick film from the underlying substrate to have the III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate,

wherein the thick film growing is conducted to satisfy the following expression:

θ>sin−1( D/ 2 R )+0.09 [degrees]

where D is a diameter of the self-standing substrate after the separating and R is a curvature in distortion on the backside of the self-standing substrate.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein:

the underlying substrate is a sapphire substrate that has a surface inclined in the m-axis direction from C-face of the sapphire substrate.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein:

the underlying substrate is a sapphire substrate that has a surface inclined 0.07 degrees or more and 20 degrees or less in the in-axis direction from C-face of the sapphire substrate.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein:

the III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal self-standing substrate is a gallium nitride single crystal substrate.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein:

the III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal self-standing substrate is a C-face gallium nitride single crystal substrate with an off-orientation, and the off-orientation is made in the a-axis direction.

11. The method according to claim 6 , wherein:

the III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal self-standing substrate is a C-face gallium nitride single crystal substrate with an off-orientation, and the off-orientation is 0.09 degrees or more and 24 degrees or less in the a-axis direction.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein:

the off-orientation has an in-plane dispersion of within ±1 degree and the minimum off-orientation is 0.09 degrees or more and the maximum off-orientation is 24 degrees or less.

13. A method of making a III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate, comprising:

growing a first single crystal gallium nitride film on a sapphire C-face substrate with a surface inclined θ degrees in a specific direction;

depositing a metal film on the first gallium nitride film;

thermally treating the sapphire C-face substrate with the metal film deposited thereon in an atmosphere containing hydrogen gas or hydride gas to have the first gallium nitride film with a void formed therein;

growing a second single crystal gallium nitride film on the first gallium nitride film; and

separating the second gallium nitride film from the first gallium nitride film and the sapphire substrate to have the III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate,

wherein the depositing of the second gallium nitride film is conducted to satisfy the following expression:

θ>sin−1( D/ 2 R )+0.09[degrees]

where D is a diameter of the self-standing substrate after the separating and R is a curvature in distortion on the backside of the self-standing substrate.

14. A method of making a III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate, comprising:

growing a thick film of III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal on an underling substrate with an off-orientation of θ degrees; and

separating the grown thick film of III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal from the underlying substrate to have the III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate with a surface inclined a degrees with a dispersion of ±β degrees from a low index surface in a specific direction,

wherein the growing step of the thick film of III-V group nitride system semiconductor single crystal is conducted to satisfy the following expression:

α±β= n ·θ±sin−1( D/ 2 R )[degrees]

where D is a diameter of the self-standing substrate after the separating, R is a curvature in distortion on the backside of the self-standing substrate, and n is a constant.

15. A method of making a III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate, comprising:

growing a first single crystal gallium nitride film on a sapphire C-face substrate with a surface inclined θ degrees in a specific direction;

depositing a metal film on the first gallium nitride film;

thermally treating the sapphire C-face substrate with the metal film deposited thereon in an atmosphere containing hydrogen gas or hydride gas to have the first gallium nitride film with a void formed therein;

growing a second single crystal gallium nitride film on the first gallium nitride film; and

separating the second gallium nitride film from the first gallium nitride film and the sapphire substrate to have the III-V group nitride system semiconductor self-standing substrate with a surface inclined a degrees with a dispersion of ±β degrees from a low index surface in a specific direction,

wherein the depositing of the second gallium nitride film is conducted to satisfy the following expression:

α±β= n ·θ±sin−1( D/ 2 R )[degrees]

where D is a diameter of the self-standing substrate after the separating, R is a curvature in distortion on the backside of the self-standing substrate, and n is a constant.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2016
From: SCIOCS COMPANY LIMITED
To: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
Reel/Frame 037827/0453 →
COMPANY SPLIT Recorded Jul 24, 2015
From: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
To: SCIOCS COMPANY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036181/0104 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 15, 2014
From: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.; HITACHI METALS, LTD.
To: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 034630/0897 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2005
From: SHIBATA, MASATOMO
To: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
Reel/Frame 016370/0850 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2004
From: SHIBATA, MASATOMO
To: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
Reel/Frame 015863/0678 →