(Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

Disclosed are a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device of the present invention comprises a substrate; a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor layer grown on the substrate; and an electrode formed of at least one material or an alloy thereof selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd and Au on the (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor layer. Further, the method of fabricating the (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device comprises the steps of growing a P layer including P type impurities in a growth chamber; discharging hydrogen and a hydrogen source gas in the growth chamber; lowering the temperature of the (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor with the P layer formed thereon to such an extent that it can be withdrawn to the outside from the growth chamber; withdrawing the (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor from the growth chamber; and forming an electrode of at least one material or an alloy thereof selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd and Au on the P layer. According to the present invention, it is possible to sufficiently secure P type conductivity and obtain good ohmic contact characteristics without performing an annealing process. And, no ftrther annealing is necessary when Pt, Pd, Au electrode are used.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to Aluminum (Al), Gallium (Ga), Indium (In) N-based compound semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly, to a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device comprising a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor layer (P layer) including P type impurities and a transparent electrode provided on the P layer, and a method of fabricating the (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device. [0002] A (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor is applied, for example, to a compound semiconductor device such as a light emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode (LD). FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a conventional (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device. [0003] Referring to FIG. 1, a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor layer (N layer) 13 including N type impurities, an active layer 15 and a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor layer (P ...

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Benefits of technology

[0011] A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating a P layer of a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor, wherein P type conductivity can be secured without a conventional annealing process.

[0012] A still further object of the present invention is to provide a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device capable of securing ohmic characteristics between a P layer and an electrode without an annealing process after forming the electrode.

[0013] A still further object of the present invention is to provide a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device that can be fabricated simply and conveniently without performing an annealing process, thereby reducing facility investment, and a method of fabricating the (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the objects, there is provided a method of fabricating a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device, comprising the steps of growing a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor layer (P layer) including P type impurities on a substrate in a growth chamber; discharging hydrogen, ammonia and gas including hydrogen in the growth chamber; lowering the temperature of the substrate with the P layer formed thereon to such an extent that the substrate can be withdrawn to the outside from the growth chamber; withdrawing the substrate with the P layer formed thereon from the growth chamber; and forming an electrode of at least one material selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd and Au on the P layer or an alloy thereof.

[0021] According to the present invention, there are provided a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, wherein P type conductivity can be sufficiently secured and good ohmic contact characteristics can be obtained without performing a conventional annealing process. And, according to the present invention, there are provided a P layer of a (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor and a method of fabricating the same, wherein P type conductivity can be sufficiently secured without performing a conventional annealing process. Furthermore, no further annealing is necessary when Pt, Pd or Au or alloy electrode thereof is used. As such, the present invention enables simple and convenient fabrication of the (Al, Ga, In) N-based compound semiconductor device, and reduction in facility investment by eliminating such a conventional annealing process.

Problems solved by technology

However, the P type impurities, e.g., magnesium (Mg), do not fulfill the function as an electron acceptor that provides free holes, since they are easily bonded with hydrogen (H) existing in a growth chamber.

However, the annealing process has a problem in that it makes a fabrication process of a compound semiconductor device complicated and troublesome.

The annealing process prolongs fabrication time of a product and particularly increases the unit cost of a product since expensive equipment for performing the annealing process should be purchased, and a space for installing the equipment is required, resulting in increases of investment costs for fabrication facilities.

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