Nitride semiconductor element, methods for manufacturing nitride semiconductor element and nitride semiconductor layer, and nitride semiconductor light-emitting element
View Patent ↗Described herein is a method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor layer by stacking, on a silicon nitride layer, the first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to the surface of the silicon nitride layer and then stacking the second nitride semiconductor layer on the first nitride semiconductor layer, a nitride semiconductor element and a nitride semiconductor light-emitting element each including the nitride semiconductor layer; and a method for manufacturing the nitride semiconductor element.
1. A nitride semiconductor element comprising:
a substrate;
a third nitride semiconductor layer having a single-layer structure or a multilayer structure provided on said substrate;
a silicon nitride layer provided on said third nitride semiconductor layer;
a first nitride semiconductor layer provided on said silicon nitride layer; and
a second nitride semiconductor layer provided on said first nitride semiconductor layer,
at least a part of said first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to a surface of said silicon nitride layer, and
a crystal orientation of a surface of said substrate is inclined in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
2. The nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein said surface of said first nitride semiconductor layer is inclined at an angle of 45° or more and 65° or less with respect to said surface of said silicon nitride layer.
3. The nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein said silicon nitride layer and said first nitride semiconductor layer are in contact with each other.
4. The nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein said first nitride semiconductor layer and said second nitride semiconductor layer are in contact with each other.
5. The nitride semiconductor element according to claim 1 , wherein a nitride semiconductor buffer layer is provided between said substrate and said silicon nitride layer.
6. The nitride semiconductor element according to claim 5 , wherein said nitride semiconductor buffer layer is a nitride semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor represented by an expression Al x1 Ga 1-x1 N (0<x1≦1).
7. A method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element, comprising the steps of:
forming a silicon nitride layer on a substrate;
forming, on said silicon nitride layer, a first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to a surface of said silicon nitride layer; and
forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer to fill a gap defined by the surfaces of the first nitride semiconductor layers each inclined with respect to the surface of said silicon nitride layer, and
wherein a crystal orientation of a surface of said substrate is inclined in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
8. The method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein a mole ratio of a V group element to a III group element supplied during formation of said second nitride semiconductor layer is greater than the mole ratio of the V group element to the III group element supplied during formation of said first nitride semiconductor layer.
9. The method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein a mole ratio of a V group element to a III group element supplied during formation of said first nitride semiconductor layer is less than 1000.
10. The method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein a mole ratio of a V group element to a III group element supplied during formation of said second nitride semiconductor layer is 1000 or more.
11. The method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein a temperature of said substrate is lower during formation of said first nitride semiconductor layer than during formation of said second nitride semiconductor layer.
12. The method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein said first nitride semiconductor layer is formed by supplying gas containing nitrogen gas.
13. The method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein said first nitride semiconductor layer is formed under a pressure atmosphere of 6.7×10 4 Pa or more.
14. The method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein said first nitride semiconductor layer is formed such that the surface of said first nitride semiconductor layer is inclined at an angle of 45° or more and 65° or less with respect to the surface of said silicon nitride layer.
15. The method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element according to claim 7 , wherein said silicon nitride layer is formed by supplying gas containing nitrogen gas.
16. A method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element, comprising the steps of:
forming, on a substrate, a nitride semiconductor buffer layer corresponding to a nitride semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor represented by an expression Al x1 Ga 1-x1 N (0<x1≦1);
forming a nitride semiconductor underlying layer on said nitride semiconductor buffer layer;
forming a silicon nitride layer on said nitride semiconductor underlying layer;
forming, on said silicon nitride layer, a first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to a surface of said silicon nitride layer; and
forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer to fill a gap defined by the surfaces of the first nitride semiconductor layers each inclined with respect to the surface of said silicon nitride layer, and
wherein a crystal orientation of a surface of said substrate is inclined in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
17. A method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor layer, comprising the steps of:
forming a silicon nitride layer on a substrate;
forming, on said silicon nitride layer, a first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to a surface of said silicon nitride layer; and
forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer to fill a gap defined by the surfaces of the first nitride semiconductor layers each inclined with respect to the surface of said silicon nitride layer, and
wherein a crystal orientation of a surface of said substrate is inclined in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
18. A method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor layer, comprising the steps of:
forming, on a substrate, a nitride semiconductor buffer layer corresponding to a nitride semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor represented by an expression Al x1 Ga 1-x1 N (0<x1≦1);
forming a nitride semiconductor underlying layer on said nitride semiconductor buffer layer;
forming a silicon nitride layer on said nitride semiconductor underlying layer;
forming, on said silicon nitride layer, a first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to a surface of said silicon nitride layer; and
forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer to fill a gap defined by the surfaces of the first nitride semiconductor layers each inclined with respect to the surface of said silicon nitride layer, and
wherein a crystal orientation of a surface of said substrate is inclined in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
19. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting element at least comprising:
a substrate;
a third nitride semiconductor layer having a single-layer structure or a multilayer structure provided on said substrate;
a silicon nitride layer provided on said third nitride semiconductor layer;
a first nitride semiconductor layer provided on said silicon nitride layer;
a second nitride semiconductor layer provided on said first nitride semiconductor layer;
a first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer provided on said second nitride semiconductor layer;
a nitride semiconductor active layer provided on said first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer; and
a second conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer provided on said nitride semiconductor active layer,
at least a part of said first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to a surface of said silicon nitride layer, and
a crystal orientation of a surface of said substrate is inclined in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
20. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 19 , wherein said second nitride semiconductor layer contains a surface active element made of at least one of magnesium and zinc.
21. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 20 , wherein said surface active element has an atom concentration of 1×10 17 /cm 3 or more and 1×10 20 /cm 3 or less.
22. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 19 , wherein said substrate has a concavo-convex structure in a surface thereof on which said third nitride semiconductor layer is provided.
23. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 19 , wherein said third nitride semiconductor layer at least includes a nitride semiconductor buffer layer provided on said substrate and a nitride semiconductor underlying layer provided on said nitride semiconductor buffer layer.
24. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 19 , wherein an angle of the inclination is 0.05° or more and 2° or less.
25. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting element at least comprising:
a substrate;
a nitride semiconductor lower layer having a single-layer structure or a multilayer structure provided on said substrate;
a silicon nitride layer provided on said nitride semiconductor lower layer;
a nitride semiconductor upper layer provided on said silicon nitride layer;
a first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer provided on said nitride semiconductor upper layer;
a nitride semiconductor active layer provided on said first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer; and
a second conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer provided on said nitride semiconductor active layer,
at least a part of said first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to a surface of said silicon nitride layer, and
a crystal orientation of a surface of said substrate is incline in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
26. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 25 , wherein said substrate has a concavo-convex structure in a surface thereof on which said nitride semiconductor lower layer is provided.
27. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 25 , wherein said nitride semiconductor lower layer at least includes a nitride semiconductor buffer layer provided on said substrate and a nitride semiconductor underlying layer provided on said nitride semiconductor buffer layer.
28. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 25 , wherein an angle of the inclination is 0.05° or more and 2° or less.
29. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting element at least comprising:
a substrate having a surface provided with a concavo-convex structure;
a third nitride semiconductor layer having a single-layer structure or a multilayer structure provided on said surface of said substrate provided with said concavo-convex structure;
a silicon nitride layer provided on said third nitride semiconductor layer;
a first nitride semiconductor layer provided on said silicon nitride layer;
a second nitride semiconductor layer provided on said first nitride semiconductor layer;
a first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer provided on said second nitride semiconductor layer;
a nitride semiconductor active layer provided on said first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer; and
a second conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer provided on said nitride semiconductor active layer,
at least a part of a surface of said silicon nitride layer being located below an upper surface of a convex portion of said concavo-convex structure in said surface of said substrate.
30. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 29 , wherein said second nitride semiconductor layer contains a surface active element made of at least one of magnesium and zinc.
31. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 30 , wherein said surface active element has an atom concentration of 1×10 17 /cm 3 or more and 1×10 20 /cm 3 or less.
32. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 29 , wherein said third nitride semiconductor layer at least includes a nitride semiconductor buffer layer provided on said substrate and a nitride semiconductor underlying layer provided on said nitride semiconductor buffer layer.
33. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 29 , wherein a crystal orientation of the surface of said substrate is inclined in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
34. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 33 , wherein an angle of the inclination is 0.05° or more and 2° or less.
35. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting element at least comprising:
a substrate having a surface provided with a concavo-convex structure;
a nitride semiconductor lower layer having a single-layer structure or a multilayer structure provided on said surface of said substrate provided with said concavo-convex structure;
a silicon nitride layer provided on said nitride semiconductor lower layer;
a nitride semiconductor upper layer provided on said silicon nitride layer;
a first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer provided on said nitride semiconductor upper layer;
a nitride semiconductor active layer provided on said first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer; and
a second conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer provided on said nitride semiconductor active layer,
at least a part of a surface of said silicon nitride layer being located below an upper surface of a convex portion of said concavo-convex structure in said surface of said substrate.
36. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 35 , wherein said nitride semiconductor lower layer at least includes a nitride semiconductor buffer layer provided on said substrate and a nitride semiconductor underlying layer provided on said nitride semiconductor buffer layer.
37. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 35 , wherein a crystal orientation of the surface of said substrate is inclined in a <11-20> direction or a <1-100> direction with respect to a <0001> direction.
38. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 37 , wherein an angle of the inclination is 0.05° or more and 2° or less.