Process for producing an epitaxial layer of gallium nitride

Abstract

A process for producing an epitaxial layer of gallium nitride (GaN). A film of a dielectric whose thickness is about one monolayer is formed on a surface of a substrate. A continuous gallium nitride layer is then deposited on the dielectric film at a temperature sufficiently low to suppress island formation of the gallium nitride. The deposited gallium nitride layer is annealed at a temperature sufficiently high to promote island formation of the gallium nitride. An epitaxial regrowth with gallium nitride at the end of a spontaneous in situ formation of islands of gallium nitride then takes place. This method makes it possible to avoid having to use ex situ etching of masks by photolitographiy or chemical ethching techniques.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.