Light-emitter-based devices with lattice-mismatched semiconductor structures

A method comprising:

• forming a trench adjacent a substrate, the trench being defined by non-crystalline sidewalls, the trench having a width w along a bottom surface of the trench, the bottom surface of the trench including an exposed surface of the substrate;
• epitaxially growing a crystalline semiconductor material in at least a portion of the trench, the crystalline semiconductor material being lattice-mismatched to the substrate, a majority of dislocation defects in the crystalline semiconductor material arising from the lattice-mismatch between the crystalline semiconductor material and the substrate terminating at the non-crystalline sidewalls;
• forming a V-shaped groove in a surface of the crystalline semiconductor material using at least in part a wet etch process;
• forming a light-emitting device over the crystalline semiconductor material, an active layer of the light-emitting device being disposed outside of the trench, the light-emitting device having a width greater than the width w of the trench;
• forming a first contact over the light-emitting device;
• forming a second contact on the substrate, wherein the non-crystalline sidewall is a sidewall of a dielectric material, the dielectric material being present when the second contact is formed, the second contact and the trench being on opposing sides of the substrate;
• and
• forming a dielectric layer over and in contact with at least a portion of a top surface of the dielectric material, the dielectric layer further being in contact with the light-emitting device, the dielectric layer extending away from the substrate no farther than a top surface of the light-emitting device.

A method comprising:

• forming an opening having non-crystalline sidewalls disposed above a surface of a substrate, the substrate comprising a first crystalline semiconductor material, the opening having a width w along and adjoining the surface of the substrate, the opening being in a dielectric layer;
• forming a second crystalline semiconductor material in the opening, the second crystalline semiconductor material being lattice-mismatched to the first crystalline semiconductor material, a majority of dislocation defects in the second crystalline semiconductor material arising from the lattice-mismatch to the first crystalline semiconductor material terminating at the non-crystalline sidewalls, a portion of the second crystalline semiconductor material extending over a top surface of the dielectric layer, a gap being between the top surface of the dielectric layer and a bottom surface of the portion of the second crystalline semiconductor material;
• planarizing a surface of the second crystalline semiconductor material;
• forming a V-shaped groove in the surface of the second crystalline semiconductor material, wherein forming the V-shaped groove in the surface of the second crystalline semiconductor material comprises etching the second crystalline semiconductor material with a wet etch process;
• forming a diode on the V-shaped groove;
• forming a light-emitting device comprising a third crystalline semiconductor material, the third crystalline semiconductor material being formed above the second crystalline semiconductor material after forming the V-shaped groove, the light-emitting device being formed at least partially above the diode, the light-emitting device having a width greater than the width w of the opening;
• and
• forming a dielectric material over the top surface of the dielectric layer and in physical contact with sidewalls of the light-emitting device, a top surface of the light-emitting device being exposed through the dielectric material.