# US 8,785,226 B2 · Epitaxial growth of in-plane nanowires and nanowire devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,226 B2 - Document ID: US8785226B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/032,904 - Filed: 2013-09-20 - Published: 2014-03-06 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-30 - Assignees: Stc.Unm - Applicants: Stc.Unm - Inventors: Seung Chang Lee; Steven R. J. Brueck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785226B2 ## CPC - H10P 14/3462: {Nanowires} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - H01S 5/32: comprising PN junctions, e.g. hetero- or double- heterostructures (H01S5/34, H01S5/36 take precedence) - H10D 30/4732: {using Group III-V semiconductor material} - H10D 62/118: {Nanostructure semiconductor bodies} - H10D 62/121: {oriented parallel to substrates} - H10D 62/814: {Quantum box structures} - H10D 62/8181: {Structures having no potential periodicity in the vertical direction, e.g. lateral superlattices or lateral surface superlattices [LSS]} - H10P 14/271: {characterised by the preparation of substrate for selective deposition} - H10P 14/2901: {Materials} - H10P 14/3202: {Materials thereof} - H10P 14/3252: {Alternating layers, e.g. superlattice} - H10P 14/3402: {characterised by the chemical composition} - B82Y 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass - H01S 5/2077: {using lateral bandgap control during growth, e.g. selective growth, mask induced} - H10D 30/6212: {having fin-shaped semiconductor bodies having non-rectangular cross-sections} - H10H 20/812: within the light-emitting regions, e.g. having quantum confinement structures - H10H 20/818: within the light-emitting regions - Y10S 977/951: Laser - Y10S 977/962: for carrying or transporting - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract Exemplary embodiments provide semiconductor nanowires and nanowire devices/applications and methods for their formation. In embodiments, in-plane nanowires can be epitaxially grown on a patterned substrate, which are more favorable than vertical ones for device processing and three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits. In embodiments, the in-plane nanowire can be formed by selective epitaxy utilizing lateral overgrowth and faceting of an epilayer initially grown in a one-dimensional (1D) nanoscale opening. In embodiments, optical, electrical, and thermal connections can be established and controlled between the nanowire, the substrate, and additional electrical or optical components for better device and system performance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for forming a nanowire device comprising: forming an in-plane nanowire core by forming a first doped region of a nanowire core material, forming an undoped layer surrounding the first doped region, and forming a second doped region of the nanowire core material having a polarity opposite that of the first doped region, wherein the first and second doped regions form a p-n junction; and forming a she layer surrounding the in-plane nanowire core, wherein the shell layer comprises a higher bandgap material than the in-plane nanowire core material having an interface characterized by a bandgap discontinuity with the in-plane nanowire core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a plurality of cladding pairs formed by parallel faceted regions of the in-plane nanowire core to form a waveguide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising forming end mirrors of a laser diode either with faceting in epitaxial growth or by etching in device processing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a lateral size of the in-plane nanowire core that supports a single transverse mode of a radiation field of a laser diode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first doped region comprises an n-doped region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first doped region comprises a p-doped region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A laser diode (LD) formed according to the method of claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) An array of single mode lasers formed according to the method of claim 4, wherein the array of single mode lasers comprises a plurality of in-plane nanowire cores, each nanowire core supporting a single transverse mode of a radiation field of a laser diode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The array of single mode lasers of claim 8, wherein at least some of the single mode lasers are optically coupled. ### Claim 10 A method for forming a nanowire device comprising: providing a crystalline platform for epitaxial growth comprising at least a substrate; providing a protection layer on the crystalline growth platform; forming one or more nanoscale slit-shaped openings in a selective growth mask formed on the protection layer; locally removing the protection layer in an epitaxial growth apparatus in a vicinity of each nanoscale slit-shaped opening to expose a surface of the underlying crystalline growth platform; forming an in-plane nanowire by epitaxially growing a material from the exposed surface of the crystalline growth platform through each nanoscale slit-shaped opening, wherein a length of the nanowire is along a crystal direction of the underlying crystalline growth platform; and epitaxially growing a core-shell structure from the formed in-plane nanowire using, the in-plane nanowire as a core material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: forming the in-plane nanowire core comprising a top (001) facet; forming at least one quantum dot (QD) from the top (001) facet of the in-plane nanowire core; wherein the QD comprises a lower bandgap material than the material of the in-plane nanowire core; forming a shell layer surrounding a perimeter of the in-plane nanowire core along with the QD formed thereon; wherein the shell layer comprises a higher bandgap material than the QD material; and capping the shell layer to form the core-shell structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein capping the shell layer forms a p-n junction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A quantum dot array formed according to the method of claim 11, wherein the quantum dot array comprises a plurality of quantum dots formed along the top (001) facet of each in-plane nanowire core of a plurality of in-plane nanowire cores. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The quantum dot array of claim 13, wherein the quantum dot array comprises a one-dimensional (1D) quantum dot array. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: forming the in-plane nanowire core comprising a doped material from the underlying crystalline growth platform; forming a quantum well (QW) layer comprising a lower bandgap material than the in-plane nanowire core material around the in-plane nanowire core; wherein the QW layer is located in a depletion region of an optical device; growing a nanowire heteromaterial surrounding the QW layer, wherein the nanowire heteromaterial has a higher bandgap than the QW layer; and capping the nanowire heteromaterial to form the care-shell structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the quantum well is configured for carrier capture. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the in-plane nanowire comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of material systems of groups III-V, II-VI and IV. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the in-plane nanowire comprises a III-V semiconductor alloy composition.