IP Library Granted Patent US 7,314,515
Granted Patent B2
US 7,314,515 · App. 11/220,709 · Granted Jan 1, 2008

Apparatus for fabrication of GaN bulk single crystal and fabrication method of GaN single crystal ingot using the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,314,515
App. No.
11/220,709
Granted
Jan 1, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for fabricating a GaN single crystal and a fabrication method for producing GaN single crystal ingot are provided. The apparatus includes: a reactor including a ceiling, a floor and a wall with a predetermined height encompassing an internal space between the ceiling and the floor, wherein the ceiling is opposite to the floor; a quartz vessel on the floor containing Ga metal; a mount installed on the ceiling on which a GaN substrate is mounted, the GaN substrate being opposite to the quartz vessel; a first gas supplying unit supplying the quartz vessel with hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas; a second gas supplying unit supplying the internal space of the reactor with ammonia (NH 3 ) gas; and a heating unit installed in conjunction with the wall of the reactor for heating the internal space, wherein the lower portion of the internal space is heated to a higher temperature than the upper portion.

Claims (34)

1. A method for fabricating a GaN single crystal ingot, the method comprising:

providing a reactor including a ceiling, a floor and a wall having a predetermined height encompassing an internal space between the ceiling and the floor, the ceiling being opposite to the floor;

installing a mount of heatsink material on the ceiling;

mounting a GaN substrate beneath the mount;

providing a lower portion of the internal space with a GaN source gas which corresponds to the GaN substrate; and

epitaxially growing a GaN single crystal on the GaN substrate by supplying the GaN substrate with the GaN source gas in virtue of convection circulation induced by heating the lower portion of the internal space higher than an upper portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating temperature of the upper portion ranges from 300° C. to 900° C. and the heating temperature of the lower portion ranges from 500° C. to 1,200° C., wherein the convection circulation from the temperature gradient between the lower portion and the upper portion provides deposition of the GaN from the GaN source gas on to the GaN substrate to fabricate the GaN single crystal ingot.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein an internal pressure of the reactor is maintained in a range of about 1 atm to about 10 atm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the GaN source gas includes:

providing GaCl gas; and

NH 3 gas.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the providing of said GaCl gas includes:

providing Ga metal; and

generating said GaCl gas by reacting the Ga metal with HCl gas.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein carrier gas is further supplied into the internal space.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the carrier gas is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, nitrogen, helium, argon and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a closed reactor, and wherein the method further comprises recycling HCl within the closed reactor.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a closed reactor, and wherein the method further comprises circulating GaCl gas and NH 3 gas within the closed reactor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the internal pressure of the internal space in the reactor has a pressure of greater than 1 atm.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the internal pressure of the reactor is maintained in a range of about 2 atm to about 5 atm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating temperature of the lower portion is at least 200° C. hotter than the heating temperature of the upper portion.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the heating temperature of the lower portion is around 850° C. and the temperature of the upper is around 600° C.

14. A method for fabricating a GaN single crystal ingot, the method comprising:

providing a reactor with an upper portion and a lower portion enclosing an internal space;

providing a GaN substrate within the reactor;

heating the reactor such that the lower portion is hotter than the upper portion;

supplying NH 3 gas to an internal pressure of about 2 atm to about 5 atm;

supplying HCl gas and reacting HCl gas with a Ga metal source to generate GaCl gas; and

generating GaN by circulating GaCl gas and NH 3 gas in the internal space while the reactor is closed.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises recycling HCl within the closed reactor.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heating temperature of the lower portion is hotter than the upper portion.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the heating temperature of the lower portion is at least 200° C. hotter than the heating temperature of the upper portion.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the heating temperature of the lower portion is around 850° C. and the temperature of the upper is around 600° C.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the heating temperature of the lower portion being hotter than the upper portion causes convection circulation from the temperature gradient between the lower portion and the upper portion, and wherein the convection circulation provides deposition of the GaN from the GaN source gas on to the GaN substrate to fabricate the GaN single crystal ingot.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 6, 2010
From: SAMSUNG CORNING PRECISION GLASS CO., LTD.
To: SAMSUNG CORNING PRECISION MATERIALS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 024804/0238 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE/ASSIGNOR PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 020624 FRAME 0240. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER. Recorded May 16, 2008
From: SAMSUNG CORNING CO., LTD.
To: SAMSUNG CORNING PRECISION GLASS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 020956/0832 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 10, 2008
From: SAMSUNG CORNING PRECISION GLASS CO., LTD.
To: SAMSUNG CORNING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 020624/0240 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2005
From: HAN, JAI-YONG
To: SAMSUNG CORNING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 016971/0480 →