Nitride-based semiconductor substrate, method of making the same and epitaxial substrate for nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device

1. A nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate, comprising:

a free-standing substrate consisting of a nitride-based semiconductor crystal,

wherein the nitride-based semiconductor crystal comprises a mixed crystal composition with three elements or more,

wherein the substrate has a diameter of not less than 25 mm, a thickness of not less than 250 μm, and a thermal resistivity in a range of 0.02 Kcm 2 /W to 0.5 Kcm 2 /W in a thickness direction of the substrate,

wherein the substrate comprises a total point defect concentration of not more than 1×10 18 cm −3 , the point defect concentration excluding a dopant for controlling conductivity of the substrate.

2. The nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate according to claim 1 , wherein:

the mixed crystal composition comprises Al x Ga 1-x N(0.05<x<0.95).

3. The nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate according to claim 1 , wherein:

the mixed crystal composition comprises In y Ga 1-y N(0.05<y<0.95).

4. The nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate according to claim 1 , wherein:

the mixed crystal composition comprises Al z In p Ga 1-z-p N(0.05<z+p <0.95, z≠0, p≠0).

5. The nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate according to claim 1 , wherein:

the substrate further comprises a threading dislocation density of not more than 1×10 7 cm −2 .

6. An epitaxial substrate for a nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device, comprising:

the nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate as defined in claim 1 ; and

a light emitting layer comprising a nitride-based semiconductor grown epitaxially on the nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate.

7. A method of making a nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate, comprising the steps of:

providing a hetero-substrate comprising a sapphire substrate with a diameter of not less than 25 mm;

epitaxially growing, on the hetero-substrate, a nitride-based semiconductor crystal comprising a mixed crystal composition with three elements or more and a thickness of not more than 2 mm; and

removing the hetero-substrate to have the nitride-based semiconductor free-standing substrate having a thickness of not less than 250 μm comprising a thermal resistivity in a range of 0.02 Kcm 2 /W to 0.5 Kcm 2 /W in its thickness direction,

wherein the substrate comprises a total point defect concentration of not more than 1×10 18 cm −3 , the point defect concentration excluding a dopant for controlling conductivity of the substrate.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

forming a void at an interface between the hetero-substrate and the nitride-based semiconductor crystal; and

then breaking the void to remove the hetero-substrate.