Recent research results pertaining to InN, GaN and AlN are reviewed, focusing on the different growth techniques of Group III-nitride crystals and epitaxial films, heterostructures and devices. The chemical and thermal stability of epitaxial nitride films is discussed in relation to the problems of deposition processes and the advantages for applications in high-power and high-temperature devices. The development of growth methods like metalorganic chemical vapour deposition and plasma-induced molecular beam epitaxy has resulted in remarkable improvements in the structural, optical and electrical properties. New developments in precursor chemistry, plasma-based nitrogen sources, substrates, the growth of nucleation layers and selective growth are covered. Deposition conditions and methods used to grow alloys for optical bandgap and lattice engineering are introduced. The review is concluded with a description of recent Group III-nitride semiconductor devices such as bright blue and white light-emitting diodes, the first blue-emitting laser, high-power transistors, and a discussion of further applications in surface acoustic wave devices and sensors.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/31/20/001/pdf

Growth and applications of Group III-nitrides

During the last few years the interest in the indium nitride (InN) semiconductor has been remarkable. There have been significant improvements in the growth of InN films. High quality single crystalline InN film with two-dimensional growth and high growth rate are now routinely obtained. The background carrier concentration and Hall mobility have also improved. Observation of strong photoluminescence near the band edge is reported very recently, leading to conflicts concerning the exact band gap of InN. Attempts have also been made on the deposition of InN based heterostructures for the fabrication of InN based electronic devices. Preliminary evidence of two-dimensional electron gas accumulation in the InN and studies on InN-based field-effect transistor structure are reported. In this article, the work accomplished in the InN research, from its evolution to till now, is reviewed. The In containing alloys or other nitrides (AlGaInN, GaN,AlN) are not discussed here. We mainly concentrate on the growth, characterization, and recent developments in InN research. The most popular growth techniques, metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy and molecular beam epitaxy, are discussed in detail with their recent progress. Important phenomena in the epitaxialgrowth of InN as well as the problems remaining for future study are also discussed.

/pdf/indium-nitride-inn-a-review-on-growth-characterization-and-4h0hlu8esa.pdf

Indium nitride (InN): A review on growth, characterization, and properties

A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device has an active layer of a single-quantum well structure or multi-quantum well made of a nitride semiconductor containing indium and gallium. A first p-type clad layer made of a p-type nitride semiconductor containing aluminum and gallium is provided in contact with one surface of the active layer. A second p-type clad layer made of a p-type nitride semiconductor containing aluminum and gallium is provided on the first p-type clad layer. The second p-type clad layer has a larger band gap than that of the first p-type clad layer. An n-type semiconductor layer is provided in contact with the other surface of the active layer.

Nitride semiconductor light emitting device

The light-radiating semiconductor component has a radiation-emitting semiconductor body and a luminescence conversion element. The semiconductor body emits radiation in the ultraviolet, blue and/or green spectral region and the luminescence conversion element converts a portion of the radiation into radiation of a longer wavelength. This makes it possible to produce light-emitting diodes which radiate polychromatic light, in particular white light, with only a single light-emitting semiconductor body. A particularly preferred luminescence conversion dye is YAG:Ce.

Light-radiating semiconductor component with a luminescence conversion element

Provided is a light emitting diode (LED) manufactured by using a wafer bonding method and a method of manufacturing a LED by using a wafer bonding method. The wafer bonding method may include interposing a stress relaxation layer (33) formed of a metal between a semiconductor layer (20) and a bonding substrate (31). When the stress relaxation layer is used, stress between the bonding substrate and a growth substrate may be offset due to the flexibility of metal, and accordingly, bending or warpage of the bonding substrate may be reduced or prevented.

Light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same

A gallium nitride group compound semiconductor laser diode includes at least one pn junction layer disposed between an n-type layer and a p-type layer. The n-type layer is formed from a gallium nitride group compound semiconductor material defined by the composition equation (Alx Ga1-x)y In1-y N (where 0≦x≦1 and 0≦y≦1). The p-type layer, doped with an acceptor impurity, is obtained by electron beam irradiating a gallium nitride group compound semiconductor material defined by the composition equation (Alx' Ga1-x')y' In1-y' N (where 0≦x'≦1, 0≦y'≦1, x=x' or x≠x', and, y=y' or y≠y'). The improved gallium nitride group semiconductor laser diode of the present invention is found to emit light in the visible short wavelength spectrum of light which includes the blue, violet and ultraviolet regions.

Gallium nitride group compound semiconductor laser diode

Disclosed herein is a light-emitting semiconductor device that includes a gallium nitride compound semiconductor (AlxGa1-xN) comprising an n-layer and an i-layer, at least one of them being of a double layer structure. In one embodiment the n-layer has a double-layer structure including an n-layer of a low carrier concentration and an n+-layer of a high carrier concentration, the former being adjacent to the i-layer. In another embodiment, the i-layer has a double-layer structure including an iL-layer of a low impurity concentration containing p-type impurities in a comparatively low concentration and an iH-layer of a high impurity concentration containing p-type impurities in a comparatively high concentration, the former being adjacent to the n-layer. In still another embodiment, both of the n-layer and the i-layer have a double layer structure. Also disclosed is a method for producing the light-emitting semiconductor device which employs a vapor phase epitaxy. In one preferred method, an n-type gallium nitride compound semiconductor (AlxGA1-xN) having a controlled conductivity is produced from an organometallic compound by vapor phase epitaxy, by feeding a silicon-containing gas together with other raw material gases at a controlled mixing ratio.

Light emitting semiconductor device using gallium nitride group compound

Disclosed are a gallium nitride type semiconductor device that has a single crystal of (Ga 1-x Al x ) 1-y In y N, which suppresses the occurrence of crystal defects and thus has very high crystallization and considerably excellent flatness, and a method of fabricating the same. The gallium nitride type semiconductor device comprises a silicon substrate, an intermediate layer consisting of a compound containing at least aluminum and nitrogen and formed on the silicon substrate, and a crystal layer of (Ga 1-x Al x ) 1-y In y N (0≦x≧1, 0≦y≦1, excluding the case of x=1 and y=0). According to the method of fabricating a gallium nitride base semiconductor device, a silicon single crystal substrate is kept at a temperature of 400° to 1300° C. and is held in the atmosphere where a metaloganic compound containing at least aluminum and a nitrogen-containing compound are present to form a thin intermediate layer containing at least aluminum and nitrogen on a part or the entirety of the surface of the single crystal substrate, and then at least one layer or multiple layers of a single crystal of (Ga 1-x Al x ).sub. 1-y In y N are formed on the intermediate layer.

Method of fabricating a gallium nitride based semiconductor device with an aluminum and nitrogen containing intermediate layer

A process and apparatus, whereby in the process of vapor growth of a gallium nitride group semiconductor (Alx Ga1-x N; inclusive of x=0) thin film using an organometallic compound gas, a reactant gas which grows Alx Ga1-x N and a reactant gas containing a doping element are separately introduced near to a susceptor and mixed in the vicinity of a substrate held by the susceptor to grow an I-type Alx Ga1-x N thin film, are disclosed. Also, a process of vapor growth and apparatus having a mixing tube and a process and apparatus for inclining the susceptor relative to the reactant gas flow are disclosed. Moreover, a process and apparatus, whereby the Alx Ga1-x N thin film is subjected to the crystal growth using a plasma of the reactant gas under reduced pressure, under the irradiation of ultraviolet rays or laser beams, are disclosed.

Process of vapor growth of gallium nitride and its apparatus

A substrate for producing a gallium nitride compound-semiconductor (Al.su Ga1-x N; X=0 inclusive) device in vapor phase on a sapphire substrate using gaseous organometallic compound, and a also blue light emitting diode produced by using the substrate. The buffer layer comprising aluminium nitride (AlN) and having a crystal structure where microcrystal or polycrystal is mixed in amorphous state, is formed on the sapphire substrate. The buffer layer is formed at a growth temperature of 380° to 800° C. to have a thickness of 100 to 500 Å. Further, on the buffer layer is formed the layer of gallium nitride compound-semiconductor (Alx Ga1-x N; X=0 inclusive). The layer of gallium nitride compound-semiconductor (Alx Ga1-x N; X=0 inclusive) comprising at least two layers having different conductive types and being sequentially layered on the buffer layer, functions as a light emitting layer. The existence of the buffer layer having the aforementioned structure greatly contributes on the improved high-quality single crystal of the gallium nitride compound-semiconductor. On the other hand, the blue light emitting property is also improved due to the increase of the quality.

Katsuhide Manabe

Papers

Gallium nitride group compound semiconductor laser diode

Light emitting semiconductor device using gallium nitride group compound

Method of fabricating a gallium nitride based semiconductor device with an aluminum and nitrogen containing intermediate layer

Process of vapor growth of gallium nitride and its apparatus

Substrate for growing gallium nitride compound-semiconductor device and light emitting diode