Nitride Semiconductor Structure With Insulating Bonded Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor devices using nitride semiconductors face challenges in achieving high-quality and high-performance due to issues such as impurity incorporation, decreased carrier mobility, increased leakage current, and defects during crystal growth, particularly when forming semiconductor elements on N-polar planes.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device structure is developed with a nitride semiconductor layer supported by a support substrate via an inorganic insulating film, where the nitride semiconductor layer is grown in a group-III polarity direction, and the support substrate is bonded to the group-III polar plane, with the inorganic insulating film protecting the N-polar plane, thereby suppressing impurity incorporation and defect formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a nitride semiconductor layer is grown on an N-polar plane, then semiconductor elements can be formed, but impurity incorporation increases and carrier mobility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by bonding the support substrate to the Ga-polar plane instead of the N-polar plane, allowing the N-polar plane to face outward while using the Ga-polar plane for substrate bonding. This inversion resolves the contradiction by enabling semiconductor element formation on the N-polar plane while avoiding impurity incorporation issues during crystal growth on the Ga-polar plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a protective film as an intermediary layer between the nitride semiconductor layer and the support substrate. This protective film prevents direct contact and potential impurity transfer while maintaining structural integrity, thereby preserving carrier mobility in the nitride semiconductor layer while still allowing substrate bonding.
2Productivity
If crystal growth is performed to form nitride semiconductor layer, then semiconductor structure is created, but defects and impurity incorporation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary bonding of the support substrate to the Ga-polar plane before completing the nitride semiconductor layer formation. This preliminary action establishes a stable foundation that prevents defect formation during subsequent crystal growth processes, allowing high-quality crystal growth without the defects that would otherwise occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective film serves as an intermediary that prevents direct interaction between the support substrate and the nitride semiconductor layer during crystal growth. This intermediary layer blocks impurity incorporation and defect formation while still allowing the crystal growth process to proceed efficiently.
3Strength
If support substrate is bonded directly to nitride semiconductor layer, then structural support is provided, but impurity incorporation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective film as an intermediary layer between the support substrate and the nitride semiconductor layer. This protective film provides the necessary structural support interface while simultaneously preventing impurity incorporation from the substrate into the semiconductor layer, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the bonding interface by introducing a separate protective film layer between the support substrate and the nitride semiconductor layer. This segmentation allows the support substrate to provide structural strength while the protective film prevents impurity transfer, resolving the contradiction between structural support and purity maintenance.
4Adaptability or versatility
If N-polar plane is exposed for semiconductor element formation, then device functionality is achieved, but leakage current increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective film acts as an intermediary that allows the N-polar plane to be exposed for semiconductor element formation while simultaneously preventing the leakage current issue. The protective film modifies the interface properties to enable element formation while blocking the harmful leakage current paths.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a nitride semiconductor layer, an inorganic insulating film, and a support substrate. The nitride semiconductor layer has a (0001) plane, which is a group-III polar plane, and a (000-1) plane, which is an N-polar plane, on a side opposite to the (0001) plane. A non-resin-based inorganic insulating film is formed on the (0001) plane side of the nitride semiconductor layer. The support substrate which supports the nitride semiconductor layer with the inorganic insulating film therebetween is formed on a side of the inorganic insulating film opposite to the nitride semiconductor layer.