Pnictide buffer structures and devices for GaN base applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10615141-B2
Application number	US-201716306547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2017
Priority date	Jun 2, 2016
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

A structure can include a III-N layer with a first lattice constant, a first rare earth pnictide layer with a second lattice constant epitaxially grown over the III-N layer, a second rare earth pnictide layer with a third lattice constant epitaxially grown over the first rare earth pnictide layer, and a semiconductor layer with a fourth lattice constant epitaxially grown over the second rare earth pnictide layer. A first difference between the first lattice constant and the second lattice constant and a second difference between the third lattice constant and the fourth lattice constant are less than one percent.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure comprising:
a III-N layer with a first lattice constant;
a first rare earth pnictide layer with a second lattice constant epitaxially grown over the III-N layer, wherein a first difference between the first lattice constant and the second lattice constant is less than one percent;
a second rare earth pnictide layer with a third lattice constant epitaxially grown over the first rare earth pnictide layer; and
a semiconductor layer with a fourth lattice constant epitaxially grown over the second rare earth pnictide layer, wherein a second difference between the third lattice constant and the fourth lattice constant is less than one percent.

2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the first rare earth pnictide layer comprises an alloy comprising Sc and a rare earth element, wherein the alloy is represented by ScxRE1-xN, wherein x is greater than zero and less than or equal to one.

3. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the III-N layer is part of a device epitaxially grown over one of a GaN substrate, a Si substrate, a SiC substrate, and a sapphire substrate.

4. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the III-N layer comprises a GaN material.

5. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the III-N layer comprises one or more of Al, Ga, and In.

6. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the second rare earth pnictide layer comprises at least two rare earth pnictide layers, wherein each of the rare earth pnictide layers has a different fixed lattice constant.

7. The structure of claim 1 , further comprising a third rare earth pnictide layer between the first rare earth pnictide layer and the second rare earth pnictide layer, wherein:
the third rare earth pnictide layer has a fifth lattice constant that varies across a thickness of the third rare earth pnictide layer,
the third rare earth pnictide layer has a first surface adjacent to the first rare earth pnictide layer and a second surface adjacent to the second rare earth pnictide layer, and
the fifth lattice constant is graded to match the first lattice constant at the first surface and to match the second lattice constant at the second surface.

8. The structure of claim 7 , wherein:
the III-N layer comprises GaN,
the first rare earth pnictide layer comprises ScN,
the second rare earth pnictide layer comprises a first alloy comprising Sc, a rare earth element, and N,
the third rare earth pnictide layer comprises a second alloy comprising the rare earth element, N, and As, and
the semiconductor layer comprises GaAs.

9. The structure of claim 7 , wherein:
the III-N layer comprises GaN,
the first rare earth pnictide layer comprises ScN,
the second rare earth pnictide layer comprises a first alloy comprising Sc, a rare earth element, and N,
the third rare earth pnictide layer comprises a second alloy comprising the rare earth element, N, and P, and
the semiconductor layer comprises Si.

10. The structure of claim 7 , wherein:
the III-N layer comprises GaN,
the first rare earth pnictide layer comprises ScN,
the second rare earth pnictide layer comprises a first alloy comprising Sc, a rare earth element, and N,
the third rare earth pnictide layer comprises a second alloy comprising the rare earth element, N, and As, and
the semiconductor layer comprises InP.

11. The structure of claim 7 , further comprising an isolating layer within the third rare earth pnictide layer.

12. The structure of claim 7 , further comprising a first electrical contact connected to the third rare earth pnictide layer, and a second electrical contact connected to the second rare earth pnictide layer.

13. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the III-N layer is part of a transistor.

14. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the III-N layer is part of a diode.

15. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the III-N layer is part of a radio frequency filter.

Assignees

• Iqe Plc

Inventors

• Clark Andrew
• Dargis Rytis
• Lebby Michael
• Pelzel Rodney

Classifications

• H01S5/30

  Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region · CPC title

• H01S3/1605

  terbium · CPC title

• H01S3/1603

  rare earth · CPC title

• H01S2301/17

  Semiconductor lasers comprising special layers · CPC title

• H01S3/1655

  silicate · CPC title