Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating same
AssigneeGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
InventorsShyh-Chiang Shen, Russell Dean Dupuis, Yun Zhang
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Abstract
Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices using electrode-less wet-etching techniques to reduce defect densities on etched group III-nitride semiconductor surfaces are described herein. The methods generally involve contacting an etched surface of a component of a semiconductor device with a solution comprising a metal hydroxide and an oxidizing agent effective to reduce a roughness of the etched surface, wherein the etched surface is formed from a composition comprising a nitride of a group III element. Improved semiconductor devices are also disclosed.
Claims21
A method of treating a surface of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- contacting an etched surface of a component of a semiconductor device with a solution comprising a metal hydroxide and an oxidizing agent;
- and
- reducing a roughness of the etched surface;
- wherein the etched surface is formed from a composition comprising a nitride of a group III element.
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- etching a surface of a component of a semiconductor device, wherein the surface is formed from a composition comprising a nitride of a group III element;
- contacting an etched surface of the component of the semiconductor device with a solution comprising potassium hydroxide at a concentration less than or equal to about 0.01 M and potassium persulfate at a concentration less than or equal to about 0.01 M, wherein the contacting comprises a temperature less than or equal to about 100 degrees Celsius and a duration less than or equal to about one hour;
- and
- reducing a roughness of the etched surface.
An avalanche photodiode device, comprising:
- a p-type layer of a nitride of a group III element;
- an n-type layer of the nitride of the group III element;
- and
- an intrinsic or unintentionally doped layer of the nitride of the group III element disposed between the p-type and n-type layers;
- wherein the avalanche photodiode device exhibits a photocurrent gain greater than or equal to about 104 and a dark current less than or equal to about 10−7 Amps per square centimeter at a bias value less than or equal to about 50% of an avalanche breakdown voltage for the avalanche photodiode device.
A double heterojunction bipolar transistor, comprising:
- a first layer comprising a first composition comprising a nitride of a group III element, wherein the first layer is p-type or n-type;
- two layers, each comprising a second composition comprising a nitride of a group III element, wherein the two layers have an opposite polarity from the first layer, and wherein the first layer is disposed between the two layers;
- and
- an etched mesa structure having an etched surface, wherein the etched surface was contacted with a solution comprising potassium hydroxide at a concentration less than or equal to about 0.01 M and potassium persulfate at a concentration less than or equal to about 0.01 M;
- wherein the double heterojunction bipolar transistor exhibits a common emitter current gain greater than 1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.