IP Library Granted Patent US 7,638,815
Granted Patent B2
US 7,638,815 · App. 11/621,560 · Granted Dec 29, 2009

Crystalline composition, wafer, and semi-conductor structure

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,638,815
App. No.
11/621,560
Granted
Dec 29, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A crystalline composition is provided. The crystalline composition may include gallium and nitrogen; and the crystalline composition may have an infrared absorption peak at about 3175 cm −1 , with an absorbance per unit thickness of greater than about 0.01 cm −1 .

Claims (40)

1. A crystalline composition, comprising gallium and nitrogen; and the crystalline composition having an infrared absorption peak at about 3175 cm −1 , with an absorbance per unit thickness of greater than about 0.01 cm −1 .

2. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one of aluminum, arsenic, boron, indium, or phosphorus that is individually present in an amount in a range of up to about 5 mole %; or

a halide present in an amount in a range of greater than about 0.04 ppm; or

at least one of aluminum, arsenic, boron, indium, and phosphorus, which are individually present in an amount in a range of up to about 5 mole %, and the halide is present in an amount in a range of greater than about 0.04 ppm; or

the crystalline composition is free of magnesium.

3. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition has an oxygen concentration of less than about 3×10 18 per cubic centimeter, and

has a one-dimensional linear defect dislocation density of less than about 10,000 per square centimeter, and

has at least one grain, wherein the grain has dimensions x and y defining a plane perpendicular to a thickness w and wherein at least one dimension x or y is greater than 2.75 millimeters, and is free of two-dimensional planar boundary defects.

4. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 3 , wherein the crystalline composition has an oxygen concentration of less than about 5×10 17 per cubic centimeter.

5. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 3 , wherein:

the dislocation density less than 1000 per square centimeter,

the grain is free of tilt boundaries, or

the grain has at least one dimension x or y that is greater than about 5 millimeters.

6. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 5 , wherein the dislocation density is less than 100 per square centimeter.

7. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition is semi-insulating or p-type and is optically opaque.

8. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the x-ray rocking curve full width at half maximum of the (0002) reflection in the ω direction of the grain is 30 arc-sec or less.

9. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition is a p-type semiconductor at about room temperature.

10. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 9 , wherein the crystalline composition is a p-type semiconductor at a temperature in a range of less than about 250 Kelvin.

11. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition is an n-type semiconductor at about room temperature.

12. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition is semi-insulating at about room temperature, with a resistivity greater than about 100,000 ohm-centimeter.

13. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition is optically transparent, having an optical absorption coefficient below 100 cm −1 at wavelengths between 465 nm and 700 nm.

14. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition is magnetic, is luminescent, or is both magnetic and luminescent.

15. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition comprises a detectable amount, but less than about 5 mole percent, of each of aluminum, arsenic, boron, indium, or phosphorus; or less than about 5 mole percent of a combination of two or more thereof.

16. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition has a photoluminescence spectrum peaking at a photon energy of in a range of from about 3.38 eV to about 3.41 eV at a crystalline composition temperature of about 300 K.

17. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition has dimensions x and y defining a plane perpendicular to a thickness w, and wherein w is greater than about 100 micrometers.

18. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a dopant comprising one or more of Be, C, Si, H, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ge, Zr, Hf, or a rare earth metal.

19. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 18 , wherein the dopant is present in a concentration in a range of from about 1×10 16 per cubic centimeter to about 1×10 21 per cubic centimeter.

20. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition defines a gallium nitride crystal lattice, and comprises one or more passivated gallium vacancies in the gallium nitride crystal lattice.

21. The crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crystalline composition is black, and a ratio of intensity of near-band-edge photoluminescence from the black crystalline composition to that of a crystalline composition that is both transparent and undoped is less than about 0.1 percent.

22. A wafer comprising the crystalline composition as defined in claim 1 .

23. The wafer as defined in claim 22 , wherein the wafer has a crystallographic orientation that is within about 10° of one of an (0001) orientation, an (000 1 ) orientation, an (10 1 0) orientation, an (11 2 0) orientation, or an (10 1 1) orientation.

24. The wafer as defined in claim 22 , wherein the wafer has a surface with a surface roughness that is less than 1 nanometer RMS over a lateral area of at least 10×10 square millimeters.

25. A semiconductor structure, comprising the wafer as defined in claim 22 .

26. The semiconductor structure as defined in claim 25 , further comprising a homoepitaxial layer disposed on the crystalline composition, the homoepitaxial layer comprising a Al x In y Ga 1-x-y N layer, where 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1 and 0≦x+y≦1.

27. The semiconductor structure as defined in claim 25 , wherein the semiconductor structure forms a portion of one or more of a diode, detector, transducer, transistor, rectifier, thyristor, emitter, or switch.

28. The semiconductor structure as defined in claim 25 , wherein the semiconductor structure forms a portion of a field effect transistor.

29. The semiconductor structure as defined in claim 25 , wherein the semiconductor structure forms a portion of a light emitting diode, a laser diode, a photodetector, an avalanche photodiode, a p-i-n diode, a metal-semiconductor-metal diode, a Schottky rectifier, a high-electron mobility transistor, a metal semiconductor field effect transistor, a metal oxide field effect transistor, a power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, a power metal insulator semiconductor field effect transistor, a bipolar junction transistor, a metal insulator field effect transistor, a heterojunction bipolar transistor, a power insulated gate bipolar transistor, a power vertical junction field effect transistor, a cascode switch, an inner sub-band emitter, a quantum well infrared photodetector, or a quantum dot infrared photodetector.

30. A crystalline composition comprising gallium and nitrogen, wherein the crystalline composition is a boule or an ingot, and has an infrared absorption peak at about 3175 cm −1 , with an absorbance per unit thickness of greater than about 0.01 per centimeter.

31. A crystalline composition, comprising gallium and nitrogen; and the crystalline composition having an infrared absorption peak between 2300 cm −1 and 2600 cm −1 , with an absorbance per unit thickness of greater than about 0.01 cm −1 .

Assignments (25)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 054883/0855 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS GMBH; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS JAPAN LLC
Reel/Frame 054372/0391 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2020
From: SPECIAL VALUE CONTINUATION PARTNERS, LP; TENNENBAUM OPPORTUNITIES PARTNERS V, LP; TCPC SBIC, LP; EL DORADO INVESTMENT COMPANY; TENNEBAUM CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC
To: SORAA, INC.
Reel/Frame 051974/0413 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2019
From: SORAA, INC.
To: SLT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 051210/0211 →
LICENSE Recorded Aug 30, 2019
From: SORAA, INC.
To: SLT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 050224/0221 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 21, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 050304/0555 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2019
From: BOKF, NA
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 049249/0271 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2019
From: BOKF, NA
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 049194/0085 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2016
From: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS, INC.
To: SORAA INC.
Reel/Frame 040186/0212 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2016
From: BOKF, NA
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 039263/0831 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2016
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 039263/0177 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2016
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 039263/0346 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2016
From: BOKF, NA
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 039263/0803 →
NOTICE OF CHANGE OF COLLATERAL AGENT - ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Mar 6, 2015
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BOKF, NA, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035136/0457 →
NOTICE OF CHANGE OF COLLATERAL AGENT - ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - SECOND LIEN Recorded Mar 6, 2015
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BOKF, NA, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035137/0263 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Oct 30, 2014
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 034113/0252 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Oct 30, 2014
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 034113/0331 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2014
From: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 034066/0570 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2014
From: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 034066/0662 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 29, 2013
From: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 030311/0343 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 3, 2013
From: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., THE
Reel/Frame 030185/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 31, 2012
From: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., THE
Reel/Frame 028344/0208 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 1, 2009
From: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS, INC.; JUNIPER BOND HOLDINGS I LLC; JUNIPER BOND HOLDINGS II LLC; JUNIPER BOND HOLDINGS III LLC; JUNIPER BOND HOLDINGS IV LLC; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS CHINA SPV INC.; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS QUARTZ, INC.; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS SOUTH AMERICA INC.; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS USA INC.; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS WORLDWIDE INC.; MPM SILICONES, LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 022902/0461 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 2, 2008
From: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS, INC.; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS GMBH; MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS JAPAN LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 021184/0841 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2007
From: D'EVELYN, MARK PHILIP; PARK, DONG-SIL; LEBEOUF, STEVEN FRANCIS; ROWLAND, LARRY BURTON; NARANG, KRISTI JEAN; HONG, HUICONG; ARTHUR, STEPHEN DALEY; SANDVIK, PETER MICAH
To: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS INC.
Reel/Frame 019897/0662 →