Method for producing group III nitride-based compound semiconductor, wafer, and group III nitride-based compound semiconductor device

摘要

Provided is a method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor having an M-plane main surface. The method employs a sapphire substrate having a main surface which is inclined by 30° with respect to R-plane about a line of intersection Lsapph-AM formed by R-plane and A-plane perpendicular thereto. R-plane surfaces of the sapphire substrate are exposed, and a silicon dioxide mask is formed on the main surface of the substrate. AlN buffer layers are formed on the exposed R-plane surfaces. A GaN layer is formed on the AlN buffer layers. At an initial stage of GaN growth, the top surface of the sapphire substrate is entirely covered with the GaN layer through lateral growth. The GaN layer is grown so that the a-axis of the layer is perpendicular to the exposed R-plane surfaces of the sapphire substrate; the c-axis of the layer is parallel to the axis direction Lsapph-AM of the sapphire substrate; and the m-axis of the layer, which is inclined by 30° from the a-axis thereof, is perpendicular to the main surface (inclined by 30° from the exposed R-plane surfaces) of the sapphire substrate.

主权项

1. A method for producing a Group III nitride-based semiconductor, said method comprising:
providing a main surface of a sapphire substrate, wherein an angle between the main surface and an R-plane (1-102) of a sapphire is 30° and a line of intersection formed by the R-plane (1-102) and an A-plane (11-20) of the sapphire exists on the main surface, the A-plane (11-20) being perpendicular to the R-plane (1-102), and a direction of the line being a [−1101] direction of the sapphire; forming a groove on the main surface, which comprises a stripe-form extending along the line and an exposed side surface which comprises the R-plane (1-102); and epitaxially growing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor of interest primarily on the exposed side surface of the R-plane (11-20) by a mediation of a buffer layer, so that the Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor comprises an A-plane surface parallel to the exposed side surface of the groove, to thereby form a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor layer comprising an M-plane (1-100) main surface parallel to the main surface of the sapphire substrate.