Semiconductor devices having gallium nitride epilayers on diamond substrates
AssigneeGroup4 Labs, LLC
InventorsDaniel Francis, Felix Ejeckam, John Wasserbauer, Dubravko Babic
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Abstract
Methods for integrating wide-gap semiconductors with synthetic diamond substrates are disclosed. Diamond substrates are created by depositing synthetic diamond onto a nucleating layer deposited or formed on a layered structure including at least one layer of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, or zinc oxide. The resulting structure is a low stress process compatible with wide-gap semiconductor films, and may be processed into optical or high-power electronic devices. The diamond substrates serve as heat sinks or mechanical substrates.
Claims21
A semiconductor apparatus comprising:
- a layered structure layer comprising a wide-gap semiconductor material;
- a nucleating layer for nucleating growth of synthetic diamond disposed under the layered structure layer, wherein the nucleating layer includes amorphous or polycrystalline material;
- and a synthetic diamond layer disposed under the nucleating layer.
A semiconductor apparatus comprising:
- a layered structure including at least one layer of a wide-gap semiconductor material, the layered structure having a first surface and a second surface;
- at least one electrical contact, the electrical contact disposed on the first surface of the layered structure;
- a nucleating layer for nucleating growth of synthetic diamond disposed on the second surface of the layered structure, wherein the nucleating layer includes amorphous or polycrystalline material;
- and
- a synthetic diamond layer disposed on the nucleating layer.
A semiconductor apparatus comprising:
- a layered structure including a layer of gallium nitride material, the layered structure having a first surface and a second surface;
- at least one electrical contact, the electrical contact disposed on the first surface of the layered structure;
- a synthetic diamond growth nucleating layer including silicon nitride disposed on the second surface of the layered structure;
- and
- a synthetic diamond layer disposed on the synthetic diamond growth nucleating layer.
A semiconductor apparatus comprising:
- a layered structure layer including gallium nitride material having a thickness of less than five micrometers;
- an amorphous nucleating layer disposed under the layered structure layer;
- and
- a synthetic diamond layer disposed under the nucleating layer.
A semiconductor apparatus comprising:
- a layered structure including at least one layer of a wide-gap semiconductor material, the layered structure having a first growth direction;
- a nucleating layer for nucleating growth of synthetic diamond disposed on the layered structure, the nucleating layer including amorphous or polycrystalline material;
- a synthetic diamond layer disposed on the nucleating layer, the synthetic diamond layer having a second growth direction;
- wherein the first growth direction is opposite to the second growth direction.
A semiconductor apparatus comprising:
- a layered structure including at least a first layer and a second layer, the first and second layers including a wide-gap semiconductor material, the first layer having a first growth direction and the second layer having a second growth direction opposite to the first growth direction;
- a nucleating layer for nucleating growth of synthetic diamond disposed on the surface of the first layer, the nucleating layer including an amorphous or a polycrystalline material;
- and
- a synthetic diamond layer disposed on the nucleating layer, the synthetic diamond layer having the second growth direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.