Light emitting diodes with n-polarity and associated methods of manufacturing
Light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) with N-polarity and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for forming a light emitting diode on a substrate having a substrate material includes forming a nitrogen-rich environment at least proximate a surface of the substrate without forming a nitrodizing product of the substrate material on the surface of the substrate. The method also includes forming an LED structure with a nitrogen polarity on the surface of the substrate with a nitrogen-rich environment.
1. A structure, comprising:
a silicon substrate;
a first semiconductor material directly on a surface of the substrate;
an active region on the first semiconductor material, the active region having a nitrogen-polarity crystal structure; and
a second semiconductor material on the active region;
wherein the silicon substrate includes a silicon region adjacent the surface under the first semiconductor material, wherein the silicon region includes a plurality of nitrogen (N) atoms trapped in a silicon lattice structure thereof, and wherein the silicon region is substantially free of silicon nitrides.
2. The structure of claim 1 wherein:
the silicon substrate is a silicon wafer having the lattice structure;
the first semiconductor material includes an N-type gallium nitride (GaN) material;
the active region includes an indium gallium nitride (InGaN) material;
the second semiconductor material includes a P-type GaN material; and
the silicon region is substantially free of silicon nitride (SiN) crystal structures.
3. The structure of claim 1 wherein:
the silicon substrate is a silicon wafer;
the first semiconductor material includes an N-type gallium nitride (GaN) material;
the active region includes an indium gallium nitride (InGaN) material;
the second semiconductor material includes a P-type GaN material; and
the structure does not include crystalline silicon nitride (SiN) at an interface between the surface of the silicon wafer and the N-type GaN material.
4. The structure of claim 1 wherein:
the silicon substrate is a silicon wafer;
and the structure does not include crystalline silicon nitride (SiN) at an interface between the surface of the silicon wafer and the first semiconductor material.
5. A device, comprising:
a silicon substrate material having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface;
an active region carried by the silicon substrate material, wherein a distance between the first major surface of the silicon substrate material and the active region is less than a distance between the second major surface of the silicon substrate material and the active region;
nitrogen atoms diffused into the silicon substrate material in a silicon region adjacent the first major surface of the silicon substrate material and under the active region, the silicon region being substantially free of silicon nitrides; and
a nitrogen-polar material between the silicon substrate material and the active region.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein the silicon region is substantially free of silicon nitride (SiN) crystal structures.
7. The device of claim 5 wherein:
the nitrogen-polar material includes a first semiconductor material directly adjacent to a first side of the active region;
the device further comprises a second semiconductor material directly adjacent to a second side of the active region opposite to the first side of the active region;
the first semiconductor material is one of a P-type semiconductor material and an N-type semiconductor material; and
the second semiconductor material is the other of the P-type semiconductor material and the N-type semiconductor material.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein the N-type semiconductor material is N-type gallium nitride.
9. The device of claim 7 wherein the P-type semiconductor material is P-type gallium nitride.
10. The device of claim 7 wherein the first semiconductor material is directly adjacent to the silicon substrate material.
11. The device of claim 7 wherein the nitrogen-polar material includes a buffer material between the substrate material and the first semiconductor material.