# US 11,444,161 B2 · Group III-V compound semiconductor substrate and group III-V compound semiconductor substrate with epitaxial layer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,444,161 B2 - Document ID: US11444161B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/080,165 - Filed: 2020-10-26 - Published: 2021-02-25 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-26 - Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Shinya Fujiwara; Tomoaki Miyoshi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444161B2 ## CPC - H10D 62/852: being Group III-V materials comprising three or more elements, e.g. AlGaN or InAsSbP - H10P 70/15: {by wet cleaning only (H10P70/52 takes precedence)} - C30B 29/40: AIIIBV compounds {wherein A is B, Al, Ga, In or Tl and B is N, P, As, Sb or Bi} - C30B 29/42: Gallium arsenide - H10D 62/57: the imperfections being on the surface of the semiconductor body, e.g. the body having a roughened surface - H10D 62/60: Impurity distributions or concentrations - H10P 14/2911: {Arsenides} - H10P 14/3418: {Phosphides} - H10P 14/3421: {Arsenides} - H10P 70/10: {Cleaning before device manufacture, i.e. Begin-Of-Line process} - H10P 90/126: {by chemical etching} - H10W 74/111: {the semiconductor body being completely enclosed} - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract An InP substrate, being a group III-V compound semiconductor substrate, that includes, on a main surface thereof, 0.22 particles/cm2 that have a particle diameter of at least 0.19 μm or 20 particles/cm2 that have a particle diameter of 0.079 μm. An InP substrate with an epitaxial layer, being a group III-V compound semiconductor substrate with an epitaxial layer, includes: the InP substrate and an epitaxial layer arranged upon the main surface of the InP substrate; and, upon the main surface thereof when the thickness of the epitaxial layer is 0.3 μm, no more than 10 LPD that have a circle-equivalent diameter of at least 0.24 μm, per cm2, or no more than 30 LPD that have a circle-equivalent diameter of at least 0.136 μm, per cm2. As a result, a group III-V compound semiconductor substrate capable of reducing defects in an epitaxial layer grown upon a main surface thereof and a group III-V compound semiconductor substrate with an epitaxial layer are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A group III-V compound semiconductor substrate being an indium phosphide substrate, the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate comprising particles of greater than or equal to 0.19 μm in particle size at less than or equal to 0.22 particles/cm2 on a main surface. ### Claim 2 A group III-V compound semiconductor substrate being an indium phosphide substrate, the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate comprising particles of greater than or equal to 0.079 μm in particle size at less than or equal to 20 particles/cm2 on a main surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The group III-V compound semiconductor substrate according to claim 2, wherein the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate is a semi-insulating indium phosphide substrate, and the main surface is coated with a protective film. ### Claim 4 A group III-V compound semiconductor substrate being a conductive gallium arsenide substrate, the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate comprising particles of greater than or equal to 0.079 μm in particle size at less than or equal to 1.0 particle/cm2 on a main surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The group III-V compound semiconductor substrate according to claim 1, wherein the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate is a semi-insulating indium phosphide substrate, and the main surface is coated with a protective film. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The group III-V compound semiconductor substrate according to claim 5, wherein the protective film has a thickness of greater than or equal to 0.3 nm and less than or equal to 3 nm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The group III-V compound semiconductor substrate according to claim 1, wherein the main surface is formed of an inner periphery and an outer periphery, the inner periphery is a circular part at a center of the main surface, the outer periphery is an annular part surrounding the inner periphery, an area of the inner periphery is equal to an area of the outer periphery, and a proportion of a number of particles present at the outer periphery to a number of particles present over the inner periphery and the outer periphery, is greater than or equal to 50%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The group III-V compound semiconductor substrate according to claim 2, wherein the main surface is formed of an inner periphery and an outer periphery, the inner periphery is a circular part at a center of the main surface, the outer periphery is an annular part surrounding the inner periphery, an area of the inner periphery is equal to an area of the outer periphery, and a proportion of a number of particles present at the outer periphery to a number of particles present over the inner periphery and the outer periphery, is greater than or equal to 50%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The group III-V compound semiconductor substrate according to claim 4, wherein the main surface is formed of an inner periphery and an outer periphery, the inner periphery is a circular part at a center of the main surface, the outer periphery is an annular part surrounding the inner periphery, an area of the inner periphery is equal to an area of the outer periphery, and a proportion of a number of particles present at the outer periphery to a number of particles present over the inner periphery and the outer periphery, is greater than or equal to 50%.