Method of manufacturing switching element having gallium nitride substrate

1. A method of manufacturing a switching element, the method comprising:

forming a recessed portion in a surface of a GaN semiconductor substrate in which a first n-type semiconductor layer is exposed on the surface;

growing a body layer which is a p-type GaN semiconductor layer within the recessed portion and on the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate;

removing a surface layer portion of the body layer to expose the first n-type semiconductor layer on the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate, and leave the body layer within the recessed portion;

forming a second n-type semiconductor layer, which is separated from the first n-type semiconductor layer by the body layer and is exposed on the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate, in a portion within a distribution region of the body layer after the surface layer portion of the body layer is removed; and

forming a gate electrode, which faces the body layer through an insulating film, in a range in which the body layer is exposed between the first n-type semiconductor layer and the second n-type semiconductor layer on the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate after the surface layer portion of the body layer is removed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the forming of the recessed portion includes forming the recessed portion such that a side surface of the recessed portion has a small inclined portion in which an angle to the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate is equal to or greater than 80° and equal to or less than 90° at a position serving as a lower portion of the gate electrode; and

the removing of the surface layer portion of the body layer includes polishing the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate and stopping the polishing in a state where the small inclined portion is positioned on the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the forming of the recessed portion includes forming the recessed portion such that the side surface of the recessed portion has a large inclined portion, which is inclined such that a depth of the recessed portion increases as a distance from an end of the recessed portion increases and in which an angle to the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate is less than 60°, at a position serving as a lower portion of the gate electrode.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a stopper layer on the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate before the body layer is grown, wherein:

the growing of the body layer includes growing the body layer such that the stopper layer is covered; and

the removing the surface layer portion of the body layer includes polishing the body layer until the stopper layer is exposed by using a polishing method in which polishing efficiency of the stopper layer is lower than polishing efficiency of the body layer, and polishing the body layer and the stopper layer until the stopper layer is removed.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the forming of the recessed portion includes forming the recessed portion in the surface of the GaN semiconductor substrate through etching.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the growing of the body layer includes growing the body layer through epitaxial growth.