Gallium Nitride Materials and Methods

T. Warren Weeks JR.

Patent

Atlas literature

Patent

US 9,437,686

Gallium Nitride Materials and Methods

T. Warren Weeks JR.

Drawings

Patent drawings and their descriptions. Click a drawing to enlarge it.

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Claims

Claims define the patent's legal scope. Independent claims stand alone; dependent claims (nested) narrow them. Click a claim to expand its dependents.

78 independent · 14 dependent

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IndependentAlxInyGa(1-x-y)NGaNSisemiconductor structure with discontinuously graded transition layer
A semiconductor structure fo rm ed by a method comprising: forming a discontinuously graded transition layer comprising an alloy of gallium nitride consisting of Al jLnyGa(I...)yN; forming a gallium nitride layer over said transition layer.
1. 77
  Dependent← claim 76AlxInyGa(1-x-y)Nsemiconductor structure with discontinuously graded transition layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 76, wherein a value of y of said transition layer is selected from the group consisting of zero and substantially zero.
2. 78
  Dependent← claim 76AlxInyGa(1-x-y)Nsemiconductor structure with discontinuously graded transition layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 76, wherein a value of 1-x-y at a front surface of said transition layer is greater than a value of 1 -x-y at a back surface of said transition layer.
79
IndependentGaNSiAlNAlNsemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer, compositionally-graded transition layer, and GaN layer
A semiconductor structure comprising: a substrate; Page 2 2000P₈₀₀₁₉ US O₉ PAGE 3 1 11 ` RCVD AT 1 161 2016 6:47:05 PM [Eastern S tandard Time) " S VR: W- PTOFAX -002126.O NIS:2738300 * CSID:949 2 82 1002 * DURAT I ON (mm- ss):03 -50 * 01/06/2016 WED 16:41 FAX 949 282 1002 FARJA M I & FARJAMI LLP->->-> USPTO 0 004/011 Atto rn ey Docket No.: 040064 1 C₂DC₇ an intermediate layer comprising a ﬁrst aluminum nitride alloy fo nn ed above said substrate, said ﬁrst aluminum nitride alloy being substantially free of gallium; a transition layer including at least one compositionally-graded layer; a gallium nitride layer formed over said transition layer.
1. 80
  Dependent← claim 79AlNAlNsemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer, compositionally-graded transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 79 wherein said intermediate layer comprises a second aluminum nitride alloy situated between said ﬁrst aluminum nitride alloy and said substrate.
2. 81
  Dependent← claim 79semiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer, compositionally-graded transition layer, and GaN layer
  (previously p resented): The semiconductor structure of claim 79 wherein said at least one compositionally-graded layer is graded discontinuously.
3. 82
  Dependent← claim 79AlxInyGa(1-x-y)NInyGa(1-y)NAlxGa(1-x)Nsemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer, compositionally-graded transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 79 wherein said transition layer comprises an alloy of gallium nitride selected from the group consisting of A 1xInyGa(_ X y) N, InyGa (I. Y) N, and A lxGa(1 X)N.
4. 83
  Dependent← claim 79silicon-on-insulator substratesemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer, compositionally-graded transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 79 wherein said substrate comprises a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.
5. 84
  Dependent← claim 79silicon-on-sapphire substratesemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer, compositionally-graded transition layer, and GaN layer
  4: The semiconductor structure of claim 79 wherein said substrate comprises a silicon-on-sapphire (SO S) substrate.
6. 85
  Dependent← claim 79SIMOX substratesemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer, compositionally-graded transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 79 wherein said substrate comprises a SIMOX substrate.
86
IndependentGaNSiAlNAlNsemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer over at least one layer, transition layer, and GaN layer
A semiconductor structure comprising: a substrate; an intermediate layer comprising a ﬁrst aluminum nitride alloy formed over at least one layer, said ﬁrst aluminum nitride alloy being substantially free of gallium, said at least one layer being situated over said substrate; a transition layer; a gallium nitride layer formed over said transition layer.
1. 87
  Dependent← claim 86AlNAlNsemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer over at least one layer, transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 86 wherein said at least one layer comprises a second aluminum nitride alloy.
2. 88
  Dependent← claim 86AlxInyGa(1-x-y)NInyGa(1-y)NAlxGa(1-x)Nsemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer over at least one layer, transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 86 wherein said transition layer comprises an alloy of gallium nitride selected from the group consisting of A l xIn yGa(,x.y) N, InyGa (.y) N, and A lxGa(,x)N.
3. 89
  Dependent← claim 86semiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer over at least one layer, transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 86 wherein a concentration of gallium in said transition layer is graded.
4. 90
  Dependent← claim 86silicon-on-insulator substratesemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer over at least one layer, transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 86 wherein insulator (SOI) substrate.
5. 91
  Dependent← claim 86silicon-on-sapphire substratesemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer over at least one layer, transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 86 wherein sapphire (SOS) substrate.
6. 92
  Dependent← claim 86SIMOX substratesemiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer over at least one layer, transition layer, and GaN layer
  The semiconductor structure of claim 86 wherein said substrate comprises a silicon-on-said substrate comprises a silicon-on-said substrate comprises a SIMOX substrate.

Worked examples

Embodiments described in the patent, grouped by the materials and process steps they use.

Example 1

description derived process summary

2 materials

A gallium nitride layer formed on a silicon substrate with a transition layer. A micrograph of the surface (Fig. 10) is described showing the result of this growth.

Comparative Example 2

description derived process summary

2 materials

A gallium nitride layer formed on a silicon substrate without a transition layer. A micrograph (Fig. 11) shows the comparative surface.

Device structures

Layer stacks claimed or described, ordered top of device to substrate.

semiconductor structure with discontinuously graded transition layer

GaNepitaxial layer

AlxInyGa(1-x-y)Ntransition layer

semiconductor structure with substrate, intermediate AlN layer, compositionally-graded transition layer, and GaN layer

GaNepitaxial layer

AlxInyGa(1-x-y)Ntransition layer

AlNintermediate layer

Materials

Materials described outside the worked examples.

AlInGaN transition layer alloy

AlxInyGa(1-x-y)N

Claimed Transition Layer Material

Described Alloy

first aluminum nitride alloy (substantially free of gallium)

AlN

Reported properties

Performance values and ranges asserted in the specification or claims.

Property	Value	Material
Thickness	2–20 µm	—
Thickness	0.03–2 µm

Why these are connected

Related documents with shared materials, methods, properties, or citations.

Gallium Nitride Materials and Methods | Matter42 Literature