METHODS OF FABRICATING GALLIUM NITRIDE SEMICONDUCTOR LAYERS BY LATERAL OVERGROWTH THROUGH MASKS, AND GALLIUM NITRIDE SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURES FABRICATED THEREBY

摘要

A gallium nitride semiconductor layer is fabricated by masking an underlying gallium nitride layer (104) with a first mask (106) that includes a first array of openings therein and growing the underlying galliu m nitride layer (104) through the first array of openings and onto the first mask, to thereby form a first overgrown gallium nitride semiconductor layer (108a, b). The first overgrown layer is then masked with the second mask (206) that includes a second array of openings therein. The second array of openings is laterally offset from the first array of openings. The first overgrown gallium nitride layer (108a, b) is th en grown through the second array of openings and onto the second mask (206), to thereby form a second overgrown gallium nitride semiconductor layer (208a, b). Microelectronic devices (210) may then be formed in the second overgrown gallium nitride semiconductor layer (208a, b).